Undercover in America
by KeliLose
Summary: Hermione is pulled out of retirement to go undercover. Her assignment: Pose as muggle and collect evidence to put a pair of wizards in Azkaban. Her partner-Draco M. Can they work together without killing each other, blowing cover or breaking their hearts
1. Favor

**A/N Thank you to TheRimmerConnection, not only for Beta'ing, but for being a huge resource of information for this yank. I lucked out!**

**I am only playing in the Harry Potter world, J.K Rowling owns HP. Many thanks to her for dreaming up HP!**

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Hermione stared at the letter in her hands. Ginny, who was now Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, called her 'favor' in. Hermione shook her head. She had tried to leave the Ministry so many times in the past seven years. Each time, it sucked her back in. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. I hoped you'd ask for an emergency baby-sitter while you went on holiday; dog sitter; anything else."

The etched photo of Ginny at the bottom of the letter smiled. Ginny cocked her head to the left and stuck out her bottom lip.

"It's going to work with me Gin." Hermione cracked a smile, recognizing that pout. "I'm going to tell mum that you taught Maggie that."

Ginny chuckled. "Mum taught it to me." She sighed. "'Mione, I know you want to stay out of the Ministry, but I need you on this. Harry is up to his neck with his new posting in the Department of International Magical Co-operation. France and Bulgaria are still bickering over the whole Eiffel Tower incident. I've exhausted all of my options here. Trust me; I didn't want to ask you. I hate to cash in my favor like this, but I need your help with this one."

"Why can't you ask someone from your dad's old department?"

"I tried out two of the fellows there. They crashed and bombed. It will be a failed investigation with wasted time and lives. I'm sorry Hermione, but I have to warn you, I'll formally pull you out of retirement if you won't do this for me. That's how badly I need you to do this for me."

"What about Maggie?" There was no way she would leave her daughter for an unknown amount of time, without knowing Maggie was in safe hands. It was the main reason she had left the Ministry. Too many close calls, too many threatening letters, too many late nights triple-checking wards when she had lost her head when a tree branch hit the window. She wanted a safe life for her daughter and she couldn't get that when she worked for the Ministry.

"Mum will watch her. 'Mionie, she'll be safe. She'll be enrolled and processed with the Unspeakables. I already sent her file over. She'll be safer than any of us." Hermione looked at her dresser, where Maggie's photo sat. She felt her heart break.

"Fine. When will the crew be here to take care of my place?" Ginny let out the breath she was holding. She hated to put her dearest friend into such a spot, she wasn't credited with cleaning up the Ministry by being nice, but the last thing she wanted was to play hard ball.

"They will be there the night before you're to be here. Thank you. Thank you so much, I owe you."

"Yes you do. I don't mean 'cup of sugar' owe, I mean 'new line of clothes' owe or 'new car'. Hell, a flipping 'new pony' owe!"

Ginny laughed. "See you in a week." Hermione nodded as the etched Ginny at the bottom of the page bled into the seal of the Ministry.

Great, the Americas, she thought ominously. She grinned when she realized she would have to gen up on yank talk.

Ginny leaned away from her desk. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm getting a headache," she whined.

"Not my problem." She pinched her nose a little harder before reopening her eyes. It didn't matter how much she bitched at Draco when he walked into her office unannounced, he still did it.

"Draco, I would have hoped that you would have learned your place by now. Me boss, you not. So shut it you idiot." She sat up and signed the orders for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy to go undercover in the Americas. She stamped the two orders and when the wax hardened and was absorbed into the scrolls, she handed them over to Draco.

"I still don't know why you can't send your weasel of a brother."

"My decisions are not open to your questions. You demanded the best person didn't you? Take the orders and go. Orientation is in one week, get your affairs in order _before _then, or Merlin help me Draco, I'll hex you from here to kingdom come."

"Touchy, touchy. I'll be here, don't get your knickers in a bunch." She watched Draco walk out of her office. How he had risen to his position with that attitude was beyond her, but he was a damn good wizard. He had shaped up the Department of Mysteries since his posting. She scoffed, remembering his refusal of the head position. He wanted to be in the field with the head position's pay and that's exactly what he got.

Draco walked to his office, orders in hand. He wanted to read over the fine print before taking them to his boss. He sat in his chair and charmed his tea warm. He had been working at his post a little more than two years, and in all that time had never finished a full cup of tea. He opened his scroll and read his orders word for word. He has been working this case for six months and had a mountain of evidence against the witch and wizard in the Americas, but he needed better evidence. Solid evidence: which you only got when you went undercover and collected.

He set his orders down and looked curiously at Granger's. He hadn't been thrilled when Ginny dropped Granger's name, but after he had spoken to some Aurors who had worked with her in the past, he got over it.

"Granger has been living more muggle than witch the past few years. Rumor has it her husband left her and she paid him back by raising the kid muggle," Blaise told him one night while they were at a pub last week. "She probably is still a know-it-all, but if you gotta go undercover in the muggle world to snoop out some rogue wizards, she'll be the one to have at your side."

Draco took a long drag of his smoke and groaned. He called Blaise to have a pint and listen to him piss and moan about Ginny suggesting Granger. He had been pissed off when he and Ginny watched Daphnia Greenwater cock up the trial in muggle London today. She had screwed up paying for a paper, pulling out 'play money' as the street vendor called it. Acted like an idiot when she tried to use a cell phone and ended the day with getting clipped by a car. When they got back to the Ministry, Ginny told him she was going to call Hermione.

"Gotta pose as a couple. Live together as a couple. Fucking live together, Blaise. That'd be hard enough if it was someone other than her, but…shit." Draco slouched in his chair.

"You want to close in on the wizard couple that is running that ring?" Blaise asked before taking a drink of his butterbeer.

"You know I fucking do." But he was still in limbo, Granger could refuse. He suspected that Ginny would beg and eventually play hard ball to get Hermione to come out of retirement. He had no love for the Weasleys, but he respected Ginny after seeing what she had done with the Ministry. She turned it into a damn honest, respectable organization again.

"Then tuck it in and do your job. You're a grown man, she's a grown woman. Current and former professional wizards. Just do your jobs and be done." Blaise grinned. He knew a one-liner that would get his buddy in a better mood. He waited until Draco took a drink. "Besides, she probably got fat."

Priceless, Blaise thought as he watched Draco spit, choke, cough and then laugh so hard he held his ribs.

Draco looked at Hermione's orders, almost eager for next week. He felt bad about her having to be away from her daughter for an undetermined amount of time. He couldn't know how that would feel: his marriage fell apart before their first anniversary. He hadn't seen Granger for six years. He had seen her in passing in Diagon Alley just before she left the Ministry, but that was only for a moment. He wrapped up the orders and took a sip of his tea, sneering at his cup: it was cold again.


	2. My partner is who?

_**Many thanks to The RimmerConnection for Betaing!**_

**_

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_**_**Previously …**_

_**He hadn't seen Granger for six years. He had seen her in passing in Diagon Alley just before she left the Ministry, but that was only for a moment. He wrapped up the orders and took a sip of his tea, sneering at his cup: it was cold again.**_

"Mum! Mum! I'm all done with my studies!" Maggie announced proudly, waving her paper in the air. Hermione smiled. She loved that her daughter had inherited her love for studies. Ginny was thrilled to learn that Maggie's idea of play time was 'playing school'. Molly wasn't as thrilled. The night that Maggie was born she read her favorite nursery book to her. She kept that tradition up, every night for the last four years she had read a bedtime story.

"Let me review it," she said, her hand already waiting for the page. Maggie raced to hand in her 'studies'. Hermione placed a stern look on her face, seriously reviewing the page. She hummed, tilted her head to one side, tisk'ed, and for the full effect, placed one finger on her chin. Seeing her daughter waiting nervously, she looked up from the rainbow of odd shaped numbers and flowers. "Little miss, there is no name labeling your arithmatic." Maggie snatched the paper out of her hand and was at the table scribbling her name on the page with a large red crayon before she finished saying 'arithmatic'. Hermione felt a pull on her heart. _She has her father's quick reflexes, _she thought. Maggie returned with the properly labeled page.

"Maggie," the little student said, pointing to the name on the page. "There it is mum. Is it top notch?" Hermione shook her head.

"No, it's better than top notch, it's Brilliant. Best yet." Maggie grinned, beaming full of pride. The knock at the door averted her smiling face to the door. "They're here. Now remember what I told you, okay." Her now saddened daughter nodded before walking to her pile of luggage. Hermione quickly made her way to the door. She greeted the Ministry's moving team, welcoming them into her small home. She smiled, knowing one of the crew members. "Laura Madley. All right?"

"All right. Blimey, I haven't seen you for yonks," she squealed as she pulled Hermione into a hug. Her attention moved to the small child at the table. "She's grown so much!" Maggie smiled, standing as tall as she could. Hermione looked and saw Maggie on her tippie toes.

"Maggie, say hello to Miss Madley," Hermione encouraged.

"Mrs. Blacken," Laura announced, flashing her left hand.

"Oh my gosh! Congratulations!" Hermione pulled Laura into a hug again. Within moments the crew magically packed everything in the house into a plain brown box. Its large red label read, 'Hermione Granger and child. 1548 West Notting Court, Kensington.' She took a shaky breath. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to leave her daughter; she was all she had left in the world.

Hermione, Maggie and their luggage sat in the garden, waiting for Molly. "Mum?"

"Yes darling?"

"Are you excited?"

"Nervous, not excited. I don't want to leave. I hate being away from you," she said honestly.

"We all have to do stuff we don't want to. You said that when I had to see the nurse for my shots." Big brown eyes looked up at her mum. When she saw Hermione nod, she continued. "I'm excited. Feels like wiggly worms all over. I want to make cookies and pudding every day."

Hermione smiled. She was positive that Molly would make cookies and pudding every day. Cakes, crumpets, tortes, custards and maybe even some sweet bread; whatever Maggie could think of, she would talk Molly into making.

"Draco, do be mindful while you are gone," Narcissa Malfoy told her son. She paced while Draco packed the last of his things. He told her repeatedly that he would be careful, mindful, resourceful and several more adjectives ending in 'ful.

"Mum, stop worrying. I'm good at my job. I'll come back in no time and in one piece."

"Don't tell me to stop worrying. I'm your mum. Mums worry. Now you'll remember to send me word that you got there safely?" He nodded. He heard the crack to his left. He didn't have to look, to know that his luggage was there. He gave his mother one last hug and then left.

Draco walked into his office, sneering at the boxes he found. What were his things doing in boxes? He turned around and stormed into his boss's office unannounced. He found the head of the department sipping tea. He took in the sight: Mackenlope sat with biscuit crumbs down the front of his robes, papers everywhere, with his mind in the clouds.

"Why are my things in boxes?" he roared. He took no pleasure today in startling Jaynice Mackenlope, who now dabbed his robe to soak up the spilled tea.

"Your stuff will be stored in my personal storage area. We'll need that space while you're gone," he said quickly.

"What happens when I get back? Where will I be placed?" Draco's temper started to boil. The least they could have done was to tell him beforehand. He would have had his house elf pack his office and store it all in his home office while he was gone. He opened his mouth, several negative statements at the tip of his tongue, begging to be said.

"Mr. Malfoy?" a timid voice from behind him called. He spun around, ready to turn his wrath on the intruder. Nancy, Sue Nott's apprentice stood there.

"What?" he asked through his teeth.

"We're ready for you," she said cautiously. He nodded, turning his attention back to his boss.

"I'll deal with this when I get back," he warned, before following Nancy to Sue's office.

"Mr. Malfoy. Welcome, welcome. I have your potion right here. Now you do understand the process, correct?" Sue asked. She was a short, round witch who could give Snape a run for his money when it came to potion brewing.

"Yes, I'm fully aware," he droned. The new potion was top secret, but he had known about it from its conception. It was his idea of course. A Polyjuice Potion that would last until the antidote was taken, with the capability of modifying the appearance within the first thirty minutes.

She handed him the potion. He mentally cringed, knowing how horrid the brew would taste. He drank it quickly. He sat down in the chair Nancy pushed over and waited for the very uncomfortable process to be complete. After what felt like an hour, Sue beamed at him.

"Might be my best one yet," she cheered. He slowly stood up, checked his balance, and then made his way to the mirror.

He looked at his new reflection, took a short angry breath and looked at Sue. "Is this a joke?"

"Not at all. Don't you look dreamy," Sue said, in a lustful voice. Both ladies smiled and tiled their heads.

"How'd you get the hair?" Nancy asked Sue.

"I _bumped_ into him at Madame Tussauds." Draco glared at them. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair, begging himself to calm down. He had slept poorly last night. All night he had tossed and turned. His mind wasn't able to stop thinking long enough for him to find sleep. He had suffered from insomnia ever since the war. No, it started before the war. It started when the Dark Lord ordered him to kill for the first time. He heard the ladies sigh. He opened his eyes to find starry eyes looking at him.

"Modify it!" he ordered. Sue nodded as she walked over, wand at the ready. He watched her as she modified the hair to a darker shade, added a tattoo to his arm, a scar to his jaw, and a stone's worth of weight.

He looked to the mirror again. It was worse; the darker hair gave him a mysterious look. The scar and tattoo gave a bad boy feel. The extra weight looked like muscle. He still bore a shockingly close resemblance to Jonathan Rhys Meyers. _This better be worth it,_ he thought.

"Hermione!" Hermione smiled from ear to ear when she saw Ginny. Ginny raced up to her. The two old friends hugged, until they heard someone clear their throat. She turned her attention to a shorter woman with graying hair.

"Hello Miss Granger. I'm Sue, I'll be helping you out today."

"Pleased to met you Sue." Hermione and Ginny caught up as they followed Sue to her office. Hermione looked around the office, she could smell the brew.

"Polyjuice? I thought I would be living as a muggle, won't a constant brew of Polyjuice next to the microwave be obvious?"

"A micro-what?" Sue asked. Ginny rolled her eyes. Hermione knew that Ginny knew what a microwave was. Her father was in love with them at the moment.

"Never mind the microwave. How am I to stay 'undercover' if I need to brew Polyjuice all the time?"

"No worries, this potion needs an antidote to allow the drinker to change back to their natural form. You'll be fine," Sue said as she walked over with the large cup. Hermione held up her hand, telling Sue to wait a moment. She pulled her large purse open to get papers for Ginny.

"Gin, if anything happens to me I want you and Harry to take care of Maggie. These papers are muggle documents that you'll need." She handed over the thin file. Ginny lost the cheerful smile on her face; 'Serious Ginny' looked at the file as she took it. Hermione waited for her reaction. She had never talked to Ginny about this before – never needed to. Ginny nodded, not trusting her voice. Hermione bit her lip just as Ginny pulled her into a firm hug. Ginny sniffled. She wouldn't look at Hermione, but she knew she was tearing up as she left the office.

"Okay Sue, I'm ready."

Hermione was pleased when she looked in the mirror. She was over the moon that she didn't look like a cat. She looked at the face looking back at her. _S__he looks familiar_, she thought.

"Who is this?" she asked Sue. She smiled.

"I'm having so much fun with this. You're a relative of Paminder Nagra. I saw her and some of her family at the British Museum. Shocking resemblance, yeah?" Hermione nodded. She liked Paminder, and she was right, she did bear a resemblance. Herminone reached up and smoothed her hair unconsciously. She noticed that her hair was smooth, not a wave in it.

"Would you like me to do something else to your appearance? Now is the time to speak up."

"Maybe some high-lights and a little bit of fringe?" she asked meekly.

"Oh, I've have some brilliant ideas." Sue pulled out her wand.

Hermione grinned at the mirror, she liked playing dress up and this was playing dress up in a big way. She left the office, looking for Sue or Gin, believing that both witches forgot about her. She decided that she would walk to Ginny's office. Walking down the hall, she started to like the anonymity that she felt. No one walked up to her and bugged her. No one pointed and whispered. She loved it. She saw a tall, handsome man sitting on the bench outside Ginny's office. With her new found bravery, she smiled at him when he looked up.

"Hi," she purred. "Is this seat taken?" She felt ridiculous, but she loved the look on his face. He sat up straight and shook his head.

"N-no, Here, please have a seat," he said as he stood for a brief moment. She smiled and sat. The man sat back down. "I'm Dr-um, James. James Compton." He held out his hand. Hermione smiled, shaking his hand.

"Hello James. Has there been much of a wait?" she asked, pointing toward Ginny's door. He scoffed and slouched.

"Been waiting twenty bloody minutes."

"Oh."

"Better now that you're here. So what you waitin' for?" Hermione tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She crossed her legs and angled her body toward James. "Not much, just wanted to chat with her. Old friend from school."

His face brightened up.

"Yeah? I went to school with her. What year were you?" Hermione racked her brain, trying to place this man. She couldn't. Either one, he was lying, or two; he really pulled an ugly duckling. If he had looked like this when she was at Hogwarts, she would have remembered. Just as she opened her mouth, Ginny walked out of her office.

"Oh good, you're both here. Would you come in," Ginny said. Draco stood up and motioned for the lady he really wanted to shag, to walk in before him. As she walked into Weasley's office, he enjoyed the view. _Nice bloody__ arse_, he thought.

He didn't notice the door shut behind him, he was still enjoying the view. He let himself imagine what she would look like while he banged her in his bed.

"Draco, if you would be so kind as to stop staring at Hermione, I could finish this briefing," Ginny said as she sat down. Both Hermione and Draco sat down very suddenly and ungracefully; Hermione actually hit her knee on the table.

"What?" Hermione looked at the very shocked Draco. "My partner is _Draco? _Wait, you said your name was James."

"It will be until I look like myself again. You would know that if you'd read the bloody briefing," he said through his teeth, angry at himself more than anyone else. How had he put himself in a position that had him fantasizing about banging a mudblood? He looked over at Sue, who looked very uncomfortable now. Ignoring the bickering next to him, he looked at his watch. They had less than ten minutes to make any modifications.

"Modify it so we can see each other's natural appearance. Now!" Sue quickly pulled out her wand. She fumbled with it, but caught it before it hit the floor. As she mumbled the word, Hermione looked at Draco. His appearance smudged, and then cleared up. There was the Draco that she knew and hated. Well, a grown up version of him. She clenched her teeth, hating that he looked pretty bloody good. She almost preferred the Polyjuiced Draco.


	3. Bad eggs

**_Bunches of thanks to a Brilliant Beta, _****_TheRimmerConnection_****_. A round of applause for TRC. *Clap, clap, clap. _**

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**_Previously…_**

**_There was the Draco that she knew and hated. Well, a grown up version of him. She clenched her teeth, hating that he looked pretty bloody good. She almost preferred the Polyjuice Draco._**

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_Person(s) of interest: Robert Lynn Green (Muggle) and spouse Latisha Maria Johnson-Green (Muggle)_

_Age(s): RLG 27 LMJG 24_

_Official occupation(s): RLG Bouncer, LMJG Bartender/Dancer. _

_Name and location of employment: Delirium NightClub 1526 South East 89th Street, Chicago, Illinois USA_

_Suspected occupation(s): Fishers for Sutekh Siebog and Limia Vritra Siebog, Wizard and witch._

_Suspected role of Person(s) of Interest: Use(s) position at Delirium to lure muggles picked by Sutekh and Limia into captivity for magical reasons unknown. _

_Task: Befriend Robert Lynn Green and Latisha Maria Johnson-Green. _

_Use friendship to infiltrate Delirium and inner-circle of the Siebogs. _

_Obtain evidence of actions and motives for use in the building of a case to try for the incarceration of the Siebogs. _

Hermione looked up from her binder. _You have to be bloody kidding me_, she thought. It didn't matter how many times she read it, it was more then she wanted to deal with_. I should have asked more questions with Ginny. A lot more. _She was to help get evidence on the Siebogs? Infamous wizarding couple, who were the wizarding world's version of the Mafia. A d_eath sentence, that's what this is. _

"So, you seem to be a good flyer," Draco said nervously. She looked and tried very hard not to roll her eyes. Or laugh. Draco, with trembling hands, sipped his rum and coke. She noted the three empty cups The failed nerve calmers, she guessed. Draco tightened his seat belt again.

"I've flown in a plane before. It's no big deal."

"No big deal?_No big deal? _How is this no big deal?" He motioned his hands in a circle, finished his drink and held up his empty cup. Promptly an attendant was there, pretzels and liquid courage in hand.

"How is _this_ a big deal to _you_? You were seeker at school. Flew up to the clouds on a flimsy stick," Hermione remarked nonchalantly as she flipped a page of the in-flight shopping magazine.

"Not the bloody same and you know it. Here: stuck inside of a tin can. Not able to Apparate if something goes wrong. On a _stick_, as you put it, I'm in control. Why the hell couldn't we have just Apparated there?" he whined before sipping his drink.

"Paper trail; you said so yourself.'Have to have a paper trail, we're posing as muggles, Granger. Muggles have paper trails." Isn't that what you said? I suggested just popping over there, even flooing there; but no, Mr. I-Know-Best said fly. So we flew." She was enjoying watching Draco sweat. Seeing him and his high horse knocked down a few pegs: very much worth the long flight.

She listened to the 'Bloody Hells!' 'Bollocks!' and 'Flipping wankers!' for only an hour more before she took a sleeping pill.

"Buggering cock-sucking wankers! Hope every one of them chokes on a _Big Mac_!" Hermione jerked awake. Her fellow travelers were standing up and retrieving their baggage from the overhead compartments. She looked over at Draco. He looked bad. "Well, good morning, Sleeping-fucking-Beauty. I'm not talking to you. How could you sleep? Half a dozen times we almost fell out of the bloody sky, and there you were sleeping!"

"Um, sleeping pill. I offered you one and you made a lovely remark about how you would never contaminate your body with muggle poison."

"I'm not talking to you." She shrugged. She could handle him not talking.

They passed through customs, baggage pickup, and bathroom breaks, all without talking. Hermione smiled as she waited for Draco to finish in the loo. She had slept very well on the plane. Best she'd slept on a plane in years. The airport was booming with travelers. They were either going to grandma's, or to the next big vacation spot, or, like them, traveling for business. Anyway, she was in a great mood. Which surprised her a little, but she knew the reason. It was the adrenaline of a mission. She had become so accustomed to the adrenaline before the war ended, it had been normal. Trudging around in the Chamber of Secrets, or dealing with werewolves, she had always used her mind to stay alive and now she was back in the same situation again. She hated to admit it, because she felt guilty about leaving Maggie, but she was excited.

"What are you smiling about?" She turned to find Draco pinching the bridge of his nose. He was either still pissed up, or finally hungover, but at least he was over the pouting.

"Nothing. Come on. Martha Lynn said that there will be a blue car in 38-J on the third level. Let's get going." He nodded and wordlessly followed.

Hermione, mother of one, was pretty good at tuning out background noise, yet still having an ear for the important noises. She was using this skill as she drove to the apartment that would be called 'Home Sweet Home' until otherwise advised. When they placed the last bag on the living room floor, Draco flopped onto the couch and passed out. With his snoring as her companion, Hermione surveyed the area. Two bedrooms: one set up as a bedroom, the other as an office. One bathroom. Small kitchen, separate from the open room, which was living room and dining room. She stepped out onto the balcony to appreciate the view.

How lucky were they? She asked herself. They had a full view of the city and of Lake Michigan.

Hermione was placing her unpacked luggage in the corner of the closet when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She turned and found Draco at the door. He looked more alive now, which was good, because she was not going to coddle him.

"There's no food here," he announced. She stood up and arched her back, trying to crack it. She may have slept well on the plane, but her back was mad at her.

"I made a shopping list. It's on the table if you would like to take a look and add anything you want," she said. She closed the closet and walked across the bedroom. Draco stood at the door showing no intention of letting her pass.

"Since we're posing as a couple, I see the crew only supplied one bedroom." He looked at her, his eyes giving away no emotion.

"I saw. I thought our clothing should be in the bedroom…mixed together, you know like a couple. There is a fold-away bed in the office." She shoved her hands in her pockets, trying to train herself not to fuss with her hair.

"Well, I am lead on this case, so it would just make sense for me to have the bedroom."

"What? You're kidding. I was drafted for this. I should have the bedroom as compensation and don't you dare bring up blood status or I swear on Merlin's beard I will kick you in the face."  
He chuckled, which irritated Hermione.

"Fine, I will allow you to have the bedroom," he said as he turned to go to the kitchen. Mad and disgusted, she followed him.

"Allow me? _Allow me?_ No! You're not allowing me anything. I _do not_ need your permission to have that room and if that is what you think you're doing, I don't want it. You may have the room. I don't want it!"

He listened to her as he reviewed the shipping list. He wanted that room and knew just how to handle the situation. He remembered that she had been, and most likely still was, very strong-headed. He knew she would go flipping mad over him 'allowing' her anything and look what he had got: The room.

Shopping was quiet, which suited Draco just fine. He still had a headache from drinking so heavily on the Trans-Atlantic flight. The rest of the evening was quiet as well. It wasn't until it was time to call it a night, that the task of meeting the Greens popped up.

"So they live just down the hall. I reckon I can use my charming good looks and skill to win over the wife," he said with the infamous arrogance that only a true Malfoy could pull off. Hermione scoffed.

"_James_, yes, I do believe that you can charm, con, cheat and lie your little ferret arse into her bed." She tapped her chin. "Oh wait, hmm. Now let's think farther then your nose and work this out. You shag her for info, Mister Green finds out, plots your death, and where does that leave us? Oh yes! Nowhere! Keep it in and just bump into Robert in the hall. Introduce yourself; see if he likes rugby or something."

"Is that all you think about? Shagging? All I meant was I would chat her up, ring her one evening to ask if she and her husband wanted to double date." He stood up and shook his head. "Honestly Granger, get your head in the game." As he started to pass Hermione, she stood quickly and grabbed a fistful of his shirt.

"Listen here and listen well. I want to go home _alive_. I have people at home I love and want to see again. So you get _you_r damned head into the mission. One: it is not a game. Lives depend on this. Two: as you have pointed out, we are to go by our cover names. Anna," she said pointing at herself. "Not Granger: Anna. Get that thought your thick skull. Three, I'm taking the bedroom. Did you honestly think I wouldn't see through your little stunt?" She let go of him and walked across the room. "For crying out loud, I worked for the Ministry, I know how that game is played."

Draco stood in awe as he watched her disappear into the bedroom and shut the door. He bent down and picked up his tea. He opened the sliding door to the balcony and made his way to the railing. It wasn't until now that he allowed himself to smile.  
She was the only person he could think of who would play an active part in them getting out of this alive and with the evidence that they needed. He could do without her insufferable know-it-all attitude though.

Hermione woke up to the smell of food. Her stomach growled, demanding to be fed. She slid out of bed, fixed her blankets, dressed and made her way to the kitchen. She found a battle-ready Draco at the stove. Leaning against the frame, she took in the sight.  
Draco stood just in front of the stove, oven mitts covering both hands. Spatula in one hand and a large serving fork in the other. She cleared her throat. He spun around and she tried to keep a straight face. 'I'm panicked' was all but spray painted across his forehead.

"The bloody thing is defective. Eggs must be bad too." He pointed at the skillet. Hermione walked over and peeked in. "Look at them. The whole carton was bad right? I've never seen eggs do that before." Hermione nodded as she bit her tongue. She wanted today to go off without any fighting or pouting.

"I would agree, must be bad. How about you go clean up for the day, and I'll get something together for breakfast?" she offered. He nodded and slowly peeled his kitchen armor off.

"I wanted to make a fresh start with you." Hermione looked over, trying to see if she had heard him correctly. "Bury the hatchet for the mission, yeah?" She nodded.

"That's a brilliant idea. I agree that we need to have a truce." She held her hand out and showed her small diplomatic smile when he accepted and shook. When he left, she removed the skillets of burned food from the stove.

_Yes, bad eggs always burn to a crisp like this. The burner set tohigh; he didn't have anything to do with it. _She shook her head as placed the skillet in the sink.

Hermione was wound tighter then she liked to be. It had been a solid week and neither she nor Draco had met the Greens yet. Hermione, on the fourth day, had sat in the stairwell all evening, waiting for them. By the sixth night, both of them were sitting in the stairwell. Tension in the apartment was so thick, they could choke on it. She sat on the couch, sipping her tea and planning a night out. She was sick of the 'Oops!Sorry about that' approach to meeting the Greens. Now she was looking at just walking into the club and seeking them out. She heard Draco slam a drawer in the kitchen again. _That's it! _She slammed her cup down on the coffee table and stormed to the kitchen.

"What's your bloody problem huh?" she barked. Draco pulled open another drawer with angry force. He roughly shifted the utensils around, picking out knifes and dropping them on the counter. He slammed the drawer shut and picked each knife up one by one.

"Blunt." He dropped the knife in the sink. "Blunt…Blunt…Blunt…Bloody Fucking Blunt!" He spun around and leaned back on the counter. The frustration of not meeting the Greens finally built up and was ready to explode. "Dear wifie, please explain why every bloody knife in this poor excuse of a kitchen is blunt?"

Hermione crossed her arms, readying herself for the verbal fight she had been looking for all day. "Do not call me 'wifie'."

"Fine Pumpkin, why are there no sharp knives!"

"Looking for one to slit your wrist?" she asked sarcastically. His face reddened like it used to when they were at school.

"Nope. Looking at using it on you," he said with a cold voice. "But that idea is shot to hell on a broom, so I'm at square one again."

"Are you even sure that we are at the correct location? Are you even sure that they live down the hall? Are your poor academics the reason we're stuck in this windy arse city, in this bloody cockroach infested apartment, staring at our thumbs?"

"Sod off." He walked past her, hitting her with his shoulder. Mad that he didn't even try to avoid hitting her, she turned and picked up the first thing she could reach and threw it at him.  
The book flew with a precision that she would never be able to recreate on her best day. It hit Draco in the back of the head at the moment he stepped into the hallway.  
"Pumpkin, count your bloody blessings that I don't hit women," he sneered without turning around. He slammed the door shut and Hermione stormed to the bathroom.

Four hours and thirty-eight minutes later, Hermione was worried. She took up pacing the apartment at the three hour mark. She had already peeked down the hall: no Draco. Peeked down the stairwell, no Draco. Not on the bench across the street, not at the Diner on the corner.

He was gone.  
She flopped down on the couch, chewing her nail, just as the phone rang. She looked at it suspiciously for a second, and then the idea of Draco calling home hit her. She shot off the couch.  
"Hello!" She could hear music in the background and people talking. She turned and looked out of the window. It was later then she had thought. "Hello?" she repeated.

"Is this the wifie?" A male voice asked. Hermione's heart jolted.

"Yes," she meekly said.

"Well if you want him back, you'll need to come get him at Delirium. Do you know where that is?" She nodded.

"Yes, I know where that is."

"Good. From where you are it should only take you twenty minutes this time of night." Hermione looked at the receiver, the line was dead.


	4. A stay at home husband

**Thank you to ****TheRimmerConnection**** for Betaing. Thank you! To all of those who've either added the story as an alert, favorite, to a community or has reviewed. It makes me writer faster, which isn't always a good thing at times, it just gives TRC more work. **

_**

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**___

_****__**Previously…**_

_**"Is this the wifie?" A male voice asked. Hermione's heart jolted. **_

_**"Yes," she meekly said.**__**  
"Well if you want him back, you'll need to come get him at Delirium. Do you know where that is?" She nodded.**_

_**"Yes, I know where that is."  
"Good. From where you are it should only take you twenty minutes this time of night." Hermione looked at the receiver, the line was dead.**_

* * *

Draco slammed the shot glass on the table and yelled some stupid local phrase that the rest of the men he was drinking with shouted. It was pure luck that he had walked right into Robert Green when he stormed out of the apartment. He had shut the apartment door and stood there, fist balled up, trying to cool off. The bark of laughter was what made him open his eyes. Draco didn't even care about the book that had assaulted him anymore, as he looked at the prize right in front of him.

"God damn, she's got an arm on her!" the man said as he slapped Draco on the shoulder.

"Love tap. She's a little kinky like that." Draco wasn't sure if he was talking the right road in conversation, but the second bark of laughter was all he needed to reassure him.

"You, my man, need a drink. Come on, I'm heading out." He looked at the tall man: muscular, Italian mixed with something else that he couldn't place. He wouldn't want to get rowdy in a bar and have this man come at him. Draco nodded and took the book from Robert's hand.

The bus ride over to the club was filled with 'Learn your Neighbor' chat. He recited his cover story well.

_James and Anna Compton, married four year__s__, no children. Lived in London, moved to Chicago in hope of a fresh start after the little family business folded. Marriage condition __–__ strained. Money condition __–__ strained. Family __–__b__oth their parents deceased. They were all alone in the big old bad world and desperately treading water. Perfect for shady business __–__ just__ the sort of business, in fact, that__ the Greens were doing for the Siobogs. _

"So James my man…she coming tonight or ya think she found a shiny newmodel on her way here and said the hell with you?" Bob asked as he set bottles of beer on the table.

"Wouldn't be surprised if she forgot. She probably was reading a book and told herself, _just one more page," _he scoffed. "Bollocks. One more chapter sounds right with her." Robert and the bouncer, who came over to chat for a moment, both laughed.

"My woman gets so engrossed in them girly smut books. Two good things come from her reading that trash. One, she's out of my hair when I'm watching the game. Two, she's open to experimenting what she reads in them books," the bouncer said. The table roared with laughter. Draco agreed with reason number one at least.

"James here just moved to the city. I think we'll be seeing him quite often. James, this is Chuck. He bounces on my days off." Draco fist-bumped the man. He noticed Bob lifted an eyebrow, focused on whatever was behind him. He turned around and found Hermione. He smirked before he turned back around. He picked up his beer and took a slow sip.

"James?" she asked, confusion lacing her voice. He smiled at her, letting his acting skills shine. Her worried confusion vanished to show just good old anger. "Are you pissed up? Are you telling me that I've been worried sick about you and you've been here drinking the whole god damn time?"

"Yep," he slurred. He reached out for her and pulled her to him. He slid his arm around her waist. "Mmm you smell good." She popped him on the head with her hand.

"Stop smelling me! How much did he drink?" she asked the laughing man next to him.

"Ah, a lot," he said before the men roared with laughter.

"Great. So not only do I get the joy of dragging you home, I get to hear you moan all night."

"If you wanna join me in the moaning so you don't feel left out, I'll be okay with that." Hermione pressed her lips tighter. She took that statement as a 'Hey lets get you drunk off your tail too!' But from the cat calls and extra goose bump-giving sounds the guys around the table made, it would be moaning from a different source.

"No thank you." Draco turned his head into her waist again as he gave her little squeeze. It wasn't a sexual squeeze. It was the sort of squeeze that she would give Maggie, to tell her she did a good job. She started to connect the dots. There was a Green at the table.

She looked at the man in the black uniform, complete with tazer gun. Looked like a bounder to her. She ran her finger though Draco's hair. She would tell him later, if he brought it up, that it was for show. No sir, she would never tell him it was comforting for her.

"Howdy there," the man next to Draco said. He held his hand out for her to shake. "I'm Bob Green. Your old man here was just keeping me company while he iced his head. This here," he said motioning to the man in black, "is Chuck."

"Hi, I'm Anna." She noticed the book on the table. "Oh, yeah, um. See that wasn't how he made it sound." Bob laughed again and waved her concern away.

"Oh, he played it down to foreplay, but from what I saw, he must have really pissed you off. You play softball in school?"

"Yes, I was mad, and no, I did not play softball." A tall mocha colored women walked up to the table with her hand open. Bob handed over two small white pills. She thanked him and popped then in her mouth, chasing them down with some of his beer.

"Babe, you getting off on time?" he asked. She shook her head. Hermione guessed she must be Latisha. She was very attractive. Long straight black hair with honey-colored highlights. She was obviously at what should have been the end of her shift, but her make-up was flawless. Hermione already envied her. "Why not?"

"Short again. We haven't had any applicants. It's just a damn bar tender job. None of the girls wanna give up the floor and any new girls want to wait until something on the floor opens up. Mac doesn't wanna hire a guy." She took another sip of Bob's beer. "It's fucking pissing me off. Who the hell ends up working her ass off covering the extra hours? Me."

"Hey Pumpkin, didn't _you_ say you were at a dead end with those jobs your applied for?" Draco asked, still resting his head on her side. The woman looked at Hermione for the first time.

"You're looking for a job? Do you have any priors? In AA or something?"

"Um." She looked down at Draco, whose face was hidden from the rest of the table. His shit-eating grin told her 'We have our way in.' "Yes. I am looking for a job. What exactly do you mean by prior? And is AA for alcoholics?"

"Honey I don't think it would matter if you just got out of the Pen and drank a quart a day. Mac will hire you," she said.

"Okay. When may I speak to Mac?"

"Tomorrow. Oh, I'm Latisha by the way, Bob's sexy and gorgeous better half." She pointed at Bob, who smiled in agreement.

She made her and Draco's apologies for needing to leave and she all but carried Draco out of the club. After they got to the car, Draco stopped the act. Hermione looked over and noticed he was sitting up, alert and boredly picking at his jeans.

"Wait a minute. You weren't that drunk? You mean you made me do all of that lifting for no good reason?" She was mad now. He had made a fool out of her.

"You had a perfectly good reason. I played the drunk, upset husband. The pissed off sober wife's role is to all but drag said husband out of the bar. Honestly, for the brightest witch of our time you should have thought that one out. Kind of a no-brainer."

The next morning, pounding at the door jolted Draco wake. He rolled over and waited, hoping Hermione would be the first to answer the door.

_Thump, Thump, Thump . _

"You getting the door Pumpkin?" he yelled out.

"No," she bellowed back from the other room.

_Thump, Thump, Thump ._

He swore under his breath as he rolled out of bed. He forcibly whipped the door open.

"Yeah?" He looked at the visitor and inwardly grinned. "Good morning Latisha," he raggedly cooed as he leaned against the door-frame. She looked Draco up and down, taking in the bed-wrangled man. He wore a pair of basketball shorts that lay evilly low on his hips. She shifted her weight to one leg and slowly sipped her coffee.

"Well, aren't you a felony in the morning," she said in a hushed voice.

"I always aim to please," he replied. She nodded.

"Um-hum, sugar you do. I would love to continue our little _discussion, _but I have Mac's info for your, um, wifie."

"I'll make sure she gets it," he said, holding his hand out.

"I'm sure you will." Latisha's face blanched. Both she and Draco stood up straight.

"Morning!" Latisha said with a smile. Draco turned to include Hermione in the conversation.

"Morning," he mumbled, looking embarrassed and guilty. Latisha held the paper out. She took the paper and without reading it shoved it in her robe's pocket.

"Thank you for bringing this by. What time should I ring him?" Hermione ignored Draco's glances.

"Oh just um, ring him after two. He'll be there already."

"Will do, thank you again for bringing this over," she said before leaving them at the door. She wanted to get to the kitchen and away from the flirting. She tried to ignore the hurt and anger that rumbled in her stomach. _I am not jealous_, she told herself. She opened the icebox's door and looked for the 'bad eggs'. Once she had all of the ingredients for omelettes, she closed the door.

Laying the food on the counter, she focused all of her attention on the task at hand. She thunked the skillet on the burner. Roughly beat the eggs. Took her emotions out on the veggies she chopped. Not once did she notice Draco by the door. She was in a mood and heaven save anyone who crossed her today.

Draco leaned against the door-frame, arms crossed. _She's in a state, _he thought. He attributed it to being wakened so early. He backed out of the kitchen and made his way to his room. He didn't like that she was upset. He decided a shower would be a good plan, at least a plan that would keep her out of the way.

Hermione slowly made her way up the apartment steps. She had seen her new boss today and was going to be starting tonight. She looked at her watch. She would have time to make Draco something to eat, shower, dress and get back to the club. She groaned thinking about her 'uniform'. She had two options for her uniform and neither left a happy feeling. Option one: a white tank top, which was paired with very short shorts. Shoes: heels preferred, but any matching shoes were okay. Option two: the same, but instead of short shorts, she would get the joy of very tight slacks.

Draco had his head in the icebox when she walked in the kitchen.

"Welcome home Pumpkin. I'm looking for something to make for dinner. What do you feel like tonight?" he stood up and ran his hand through his hair. Hermione shook her head.

"You don't have to cook."

"Well, since you're going to be the bread winner in this apartment, I thought I could be the stay at home husband. I'm pretty the stay at home husband cooks." He ducked his head back in the icebox. "You go and get ready and I'll get dinner started."

"Okay." Hermione paused for a moment. She didn't trust him in the kitchen since the bad eggs incident. He could burn water, she was sure of it. She looked at the time and decided she could always get something to eat on the way to work.

Hermione dressed and took a long look at herself in the mirror. She had more makeup on her face then she ever had on before in her whole life. _I look like a tart_, she thought. She shrugged. So did the rest of the female staff at Delirium. She shook her head. If Maggie ever dressed like this she was going to wash her face off with wool and ground her until she was forty.

Draco shoved the delivery boxes in the trash and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. The Italian shop a few blocks over delivered dinner while Hermione was in the shower. He laughed, there was no way Hermione would believe he had cooked this, yet he still put the food in the pot on the stove. He quickly set the table and when Hermione walked in the door he couldn't breathe.

"What'd you make for dinner?" she asked, looking at the stove. She stirred the Penne pasta and looked over her shoulder. "James, you okay?" Draco continued to stare, too tongue tied and full of improper thoughts to respond. Thoughts that had him clearing off the table, breaking the plates and glasses as he swiped his arm across the table top and pulled Hermione under him with the other. Thoughts that would definitely make her late and fired before she even started at her job. Thoughts that he really didn't want to have.

"Pasta," he managed. He shook his head, managing to clear his thoughts. They ate in silence. Draco listened to Hermione's little moans as she ate. He cursed her in his head. He didn't need to listen to her have a food-gasm while he was eating.

"Very yummy. Mmm thank you," she murmured as she placed her plate in the sink. Draco without thinking turned to look at her at the sink. He got his first view of her uniform from the back. He lazily looked her over, head to toe.

"Nice arse," he said before he could stop himself. _Bollocks! Why'd you open your trap Draco__?__!_ Hermione smoothed her shorts out and fussed with her hem. Draco loved how pink her cheeks had grown just then.

"Thanks," was all she could manage. It had been too long since a man had complimented her. She knew that in her right mind, she would have scolded Draco for the arse remark. But right now she would take whatever came her way. She needed every bit of esteem she could get tonight.

"You want me to go with you? I can just hang out at the bar and overindulge on pretzels or something."

"Sure, I would really appreciate it if you did, actually. I'm a little nervous about tonight."


	5. Scared monkey

**_Thank you TheRimmerConnection for the hard work of betaing. 'Doesn't she do a great job kids?' Kids reply eagerly, 'Yes, yes she does!' 'Great job!' 'Thank you!'_**

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**_Previously…"Thanks," was all she could manage. It had been too long since a man had complimented her. She knew that in her right mind, she would have scolded Draco for the arse remark. But right now she would take whatever came her way. She needed every bit of esteem she could get tonight._**

**_"You want me to go with you? I can just hang out at the bar and overindulge on pretzels or something."_**

**_"Sure, I would really appreciate it if you did, actually. I'm a little nervous about tonight."_**

* * *

Hermione stood frozen in shock. Her so-called brilliant mind wasn't able to process what she saw. Delirium was a dance club. She _saw_ it last night. She saw the Go-Go dancers on the little stages all over the dance floor. She saw the lights and lasers dance along the walls and ceilings.

Dance club. Not Strip club. Dance club!

"Pumpkin?" Draco's face came into her line of sight. "Pumpkin?" Her eyes slowly un-focused from the half-naked dancer sliding down the pole to his face. "Hi there," he said with a grin on his face. The whole mission could be a flop in the end, but it would all be worth it now that he saw the look on her face. He knew about the _diversity_ of the club. Bob had told him about it in depth last night. During the weekend, when the college students were available, it was a dance club, during the weekdays, a strip club. He had known he would enjoy the moment when Hermione learned about it, but this was worth his whole account at Gringotts.

"D-D-Dr-" Hermione cleared her throat. "James, there are a lot of half-naked women here. T-T-They were not here before, right? Tell me they were not here before. _Tell_ _me now." _

Draco laughed uncontrollably, only stopping when she hit him on the arm. "Not. Funny," she hissed.

"Darling, it's funny," he said between deep breaths. A few more breaths and the urge to laugh subsided. Hermione stared at Draco. Darling? _Darling_? He noticed her stare. "What?"

"Darling?" she mocked in a southern drawl. He froze realizing what he called her. Cursing himself for his slip he shrugged.

"Bob says it all the time, he is from the South."

"Okay. Well you are not from the South, you're from-"

"Anna! Oh thank God you're here! Come on, I'll show you around the bar. What luck for you, it's Monday night and slow," Latisha said, interrupting her.

Draco slowly followed, picking a bar stool to perch on for the night. He watched his wife learn how to be a bartender, which, again was worth it. She fumbled with the hose that squirted the soda, dropped three liquor bottles, breaking two, and cocked up countless drink orders. He loved every minute of it.

"Oh bartender!" he called waving his empty glass in the air. Hermione looked down the length of the bar and rolled her eyes. She had been on her own for an hour now, and Draco had called her for a drink four times already.

"Don't you have to use the loo or something? You've drunk more than that man over there." She pointed to an older man who looked like he was ready to fall off of his chair.

"Your un-cheery attitude will be reflected in your tip," he teased.

"What may I get you?" she purred with a fake smile. He smiled back and leaned toward her.

"How about a Slippery Nipple?" Hermione flushed.

"Plenty over there," she said, pointing down the bar to the dancers.

"Those don't look very yummy. How about Sex on the Beach?" he asked in a low husky voice.

"It's cold out." She reached under the bar and grabbed a glass from the shelf. She set it down, but he shook his head.

"How about a Spotted Cow." He pointed behind her at a cooler at the far end of the bar. He had tried the beer last night, he really didn't care for it, but he had his reasons for asking for it. She shrugged and made her way to the other end of the bar. Draco grinned and enjoyed the show, watching Hermione bend over and grab his beer of choice_. I love her uniform,_ he thought.

"One beer," she said as she set it on the counter. "Would you like it in the glass?" He shook his head. "So, Latisha said it'll calm down, so if you wanted to head back, you could. I can go back with her."

Draco didn't like that idea. He was having too much fun here. He knew that it would be a long night, and from the number of staff on tonight, it was a slow night.

"I can stay. So let's chat. Get a little comfy with each other. So who's your Ex?" Hermione looked at him in shock.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, what happened there? Me? Long story, best for another day." She looked at him, then around the bar. It was pretty quiet, so she poured herself some water and leaned against the bar.

"An equally long story, I'm sure. Well," she shook her head, unable to believe that she was going to tell Draco the failings of her past. "Just after the war," she whispered, "I was taking a holiday. I was in Bulgaria, and Puddlemere United was playing. I decided to go and root for the home team. We won. The place was crazy, just like it was at the World Cup, you know, before everything." She looked up at him and continued when he nodded with understanding. "Well, I ran into some former Gryffindors and we all celebrated at a pub. He ran into me – literally. He was goofing around with a team-mate and _bam!_" She slapped her hands together for effect. "He knocked me to the floor and landed right on top of me. We spent the rest of the night catching up and I ended up at his hotel. Month later we were engaged. Weeks later, married. Many months later, divorced."

Hermione's attention was caught by a new patron. She excused herself from Draco and went to get the man a drink. Draco stared shocked and slack-jawed. Prudish, almost nun-like Hermione Granger had got married after a few _months_? He didn't even know this man, and already hated him. He wondered about Maggie. Did she hide her from her husband?

"Anyhow, so that's the story, just condensed," she said when she returned.

"Who was he?" She took a breath to drag out telling him.

"Oliver Wood."

"What? He was years ahead of us in school." She didn't say anything, just nodded. He thought back: Wood had died in a Quidditch match last year. He was at the top of his game. He remembered the grieving family on the cover of the Daily Prophet, including a detailed biography in the article. There was no mention of ex-wife Granger nor child.

"Looks like you're trying to glue some pieces together," she said.

"There was no mention of you or Maggie in the Daily Prophet when he died."

"Correct." Hermione looked at the emotions that crossed Draco's face. She worried that he was getting the wrong ideas. She groaned. "We got together and it was a fast romance. Love, lust, limelight; it was crazy. I was well known in the papers because of helping Harry. He was making a name for himself in Quidditch post-war." She closed her eyes. "We didn't talk about the _right_ things before getting married. I wanted to settle down, have some children, have a dog in the garden and a white picket fence. He didn't. We were in Paris for a match when I found out. I stayed back at the hotel, much to his dislike. He said that a Quidditch wife should be at every matche, ill or not. I was retching all day and just wanted to sleep. When he was gone, I snuck off to a muggle store and got a pregnancy test. I didn't want him to know from the magical bond in our wands if I used magic to test if I was pregnant. I told him when he got back. I shouldn't have. I should have waited. He was mad over losing, and then I laid that on him. He told me that he wanted a trophy wife, not a pregnant wife."

Draco let out the breath that he didn't know he held. _Bloody bastard_, he thought.

"He and I traveled back to London, but separated then. We divorced quietly and he got together with his next trophy wife. He always supported Maggie, but we both agreed that she would be a Granger and far away from his limelight. I wanted her safe and as normal as possible. He would visit her, but she didn't know him as father, just Ollie."

Draco watched Hermione when she returned her focus to her work. The rest of the night was slow, perfect for her first night. He glanced over and watched the dancers. He saw Latisha relieve one lass. She slowly made her way around the gold pole in the center of the stage. Seductively she shed her clothes as the song played. His attention was pulled away by a noise that a man made. He looked at the man; he was slightly older than him, but no more than ten years. His eyes were not fixed on the only dancer on the floor, but on his wife, the bartender.

The man noticed Draco and grinned. "I can't think of anything sexier than watching that exotic woman enjoying the show." Draco followed the man's eyes and his breath caught in his throat.

Hermione's eyes were fixed in awe on Latisha. She watched as the woman danced on the stage. Hermione had never watched a stripper before today. She thought that Latisha was pure sex up on the stage. Not in a raunchy way, but how she danced, it was a pure seduction. She watched her grip onto the pole and loop her legs above her head. She was upside down, slowly spinning. Hermione tilted her head, mouth slightly open, when Latisha stopped and with a brief hand stand, got off of the pole and continued her dance around it.

"Bloody hell!" she heard to her left. She looked and saw two men staring at her. She flushed from her chest to her fringe.

"Little lady, may I buy you a drink?" The man next to Draco asked with a velvet voice that could make knickers drop to the floor. She placed a small smile on her lips.

"I'm working, but I'll get you one. Scotch?" She pointed to his glass. He nodded. She poured his drink, feeling Draco's eyes on her the whole time. As she was handing over his drink, Mac came behind the bar.

Draco watched the man. He didn't like him. Didn't matter that he didn't know him from Merlin; he didn't like him.

"How's your night Babe?" Mac asked as he placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. She smiled widely and nodded.

"Pretty good," she replied as she filled a cup up with water for him. She handed it over and her let his fingers touch hers when he took it. None of this was missed by Draco.

"Hey, are you the boss man here?" The man drinking Scotch asked. Mac nodded.

"Yes sir. I'm Mac, is everything okay this evening?"

"Yes. Much better with her as an addition," he said pointing to Hermione. Mac slid his arm over her shoulders and grinned at her.

"Yes, I think so too. How about you call it a night? Pam is going to close up," he said. Draco gritted his teeth.

"What time do I show up tomorrow?" Hermione asked, trying very hard to not shrug her boss's arm off her. Latisha had warned her about Mac. Happy hands, was what the girls called him. He was too 'friendly' for his own good at times.

"Oh, let's say around seven," Mac answered. He grinned at her.

"Okay then, have a good night," she replied, slipping from his grip. "Sweetie? You ready?" she asked Draco.

"Yahu." He got up and took her jacket from her. He held it out for her, keeping his glare on Mac. As soon as Hermione was ready, she wavedgood bye and all but dragged Draco out of the club.

Conversation was minimal on the way home. Hermione was tired and cursing her heels. "I'm wearing trainers tomorrow. Those heels killed my feet." She sat on the couch and slowly took off one shoe. Draco sat next to her and motioned for her to move over and lift her feet to his lap. She looked at him like he was loony, but did as he asked. He took the other shoe off and gently rubbed. Hermione lay back, slowly letting the tension fade from her body.

"I don't like that Mac guy," he finally said as he switched feet. Hermione inwardly smiled. She had seen the death looks that Draco threw at her boss and she had been waiting for this. "A proper man wouldn't touch his married female employees like that." This made her chuckle. Draco scoffed, "What's so funny?"

"You. That statement. This whole situation." She pulled her feet away from Draco and sat up.

"I'm tired. I'm going to shower. I don't care to look like a tart any longer then than necessary." She got up and stretched. "Latisha had the gall to tell me to go heavier on the eyeliner next time." Draco looked up, remembering the sight of seeing Hermione watching Latisha dance. Their eyes caught and held for a moment. She felt the blush creep up her neck again. She looked away and fussed with her hair. "Thank you for the umm..." She looked to her feet and shook one.

"No problem."

"Alright, well, good night."

Draco jolted awake. His hand automatically reached out, searching for his wand. He heard the noise again. He sat up, still padding around for the wand he wouldn't find. He remembered that his ward was at the Ministry, in a box with Hermione's. "Bollocks." He pushed himself off the bed and made his way to the bedroom. With balled-up fist, he pushed her door open. She cried out in her sleep again, just as the thunder rumbled. He saw her kick her legs and toss in her sleep. He scanned the room, even though he knew there was no danger. Lighting flashed and he saw her face. She was crying.

He walked over slowly, shhhing her as he did. Thunder rumbled again, but this time she didn't only cry out, she sat up, hand searching for her wand.

"Just the storm, Pumpkin. Shhh, shhh," he soothed. He reached out for her, enveloping her in his arms. She fought until she opened her eyes. She cried out again, searching her thighs with her hands. She always slept with her wand on her thighs during the war. It's harder to take someone's wand if it's resting on them, rather than on a night stand. "No wands. Remember? Shhh, shhh. They are not here. You're safe. We're_ all_ safe. They are _not_ here." When she woke up enough to process what he was saying, she relaxed and fell into him. She turned her body so she could hide her face in his chest. Draco awkwardly slid into her bed, until he was on his side, facing her, and she was on her side facing him, but her head was burrowed into his chest, under the blankets. She felt stupid and weak. She hated to be so weak in front of him. Again. At least the last time she was being cursed almost non-stop by his aunt. She had had good reason. But now? She was in the same mindset over a thunderstorm. She hated them. She associated them with Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

She collected herself enough to wipe her eyes. "I can't imagine what you think of me."

"I think you have a thing about storms." She couldn't answer. She could only cry harder. Draco whispered into her ear, soothing, encouraging words, until she calmed enough to talk again.

"Shhh. Pumpkin, you've been though a lot. You are still a brave, strong woman. You've done more than many our age have. Survived so many situations you shouldn't have. It's okay. No one thinks differently."

"I've handled it all so well. I have two charmed bells; one for life-threatening danger and the other for storms. When the storm one rings, I put up a silencing charm around the house and draw the curtains." She sniffled, and rearranged herself, but kept her head sheltered by his arm and chest. "I loved storms when I was little. I loved to watch the lighting dance in the sky. Loved the sound of the rain pounding on the glass. Now, it's just a reminder of them. Of death." Draco listened to her. It physically hurt him to have her in his arms, scared. He couldn't throw up a silencing charm, he couldn't make the storm go away, all he could do was hold her and listen to her tears.

"I hate you right now, you know that, right?" Draco looked down at the nest of hair.

"Me? I didn't make it rain."

"That's not rain. That's a thunderstorm. You and your darn 'no magic at all' rule. No wands, nothing but the magic that physically changed us, but is undetectable. I could have had a nice little bell set up, a little silencing charm set up and I wouldn't be gripping on to you like a scared monkey."

"Well I hate myself too. Not for the same _I'm scared of a little rain_ reason, but more of an 'I hate using a muggle shaver' reason. It's rather life-threatening."

This made Hermione laugh. She remembered Draco the first morning he had shaved with cream and a razor. He'd had so many little band-aids on his face, he refused to leave the apartment. Draco smiled and held her tight.


	6. On credit?

**A/N:::**

**"Hey Mudblood!"**

**Looking annoyed she turned her attention toward Draco, pumpkin juice in hand. "What do you want ferret?"**

**"Listen here, I'm looking for a Beta. A good one" he sneered.**

**"Ha! Like I'll help you!" she replied, laughing.**

**"Not you. I wouldn't even lower myself!"**

**"Well, I know of someone. She's great. She reviews all of my essays before I hand them in. She's the whole reason behind my perfect scores," Hermione confessed.**

**"Ha!" he exclaimed, pointing at Hermione. "What is her name?"**

**"TheRimmerConnection!" she yelled, before her hands slapped her mouth shut. "Oh no!" she mumbled.**

**"Ah ha! I knew it! I snuck veritaserum in your juice!" He crossed his arms smugly. "Can I get her number?" She shook her head. "Come on," he encouraged.**

**"Well, just go to her profile. She's a gem." **

**"Miss. Granger! A word please!" Hermione looks over her shoulder at Professor Snape. Oh man…**

**(I was tired with the way I was thanking TRC. If anyone has any cute ideas, I'm, all ears.) **

* * *

**Previously on Days of our Lives...ha ha just joking...**

_**This made Hermione laugh. She remembered Draco the first morning he had shaved with cream and a razor. He'd had so many little band-aids on his face, he refused to leave the apartment. Draco smiled and held her tight.**_

* * *

Hermione woke up warm and safe, something she rarely felt when out of her magical comfort zone. She tried several times to open her eyes, but sleep was pulling her back in. Giving in, she moved to roll on to her stomach. A strong arm tightened around her and a long heavy leg crossed over hers.  
"Shh, shh. I'm right here, you're okay," a tired voice mumbled into her hair. Her eyes shot open. Last night's memories flooded in all at once. _Oh my God!_ _No, no, no. That didn't happen. Please Merlin, tell me that last night didn't happen._

Hermione opened her eyes again and looked down. A bare, slightly tanned, very familiar arm clasped her to a warm firm body. Slowly, but firmly, she pried herself from his embrace. Draco grunted in protest as she slid down to the floor, turning as she did, so she could face Draco. He was out like a light again, snoring softly. She thanked her lucky stars as she made her way out of the bedroom, clothes in hand.

Draco woke up alone and shocked himself when he realised he didn't like it. He turned on to his back and ran his hand over his face. _I hate shaving,_ he thought, feeling the stubble. 'Mionie has it easy. She doesn't have to shave. He sighed. Granger, not _'Mionie. _Granger! After several tries, he opened his eyes and forced himself to get up.

Last night replayed over and over in his mind while he showered. Needless to say, he wasn't sure if he would be able to look Granger in the face today. He hated to see and hear her suffer like that. What made him uncomfortable was how much he _liked_ it when she relaxed and melted into him. He liked holding her in his arms and he _needed_ to _not_ like it.

Draco entered the kitchen, clean and shaven. He had only cut himself three times this morning with the primitive muggle razor. Hermione was at the table drinking tea and eating toast. He heard a mumbled 'Good Morning' from her as he walked to the kettle on the stove.

"Good Morning. I trust you slept well." He kept his back to her, but he knew she was red in the face. He slowly poured the hot water over the tea bag he placed in his cup.  
"One thing I truly dislike about the Americas; Horrid tea. Wouldn't you agree?" When he heard no response he turned to look at Hermione. She kept her eyes on her tea as she chewed on her toast.

She looked toward him, saw he was watching her and nodded. Non-verbal communication was what she planned on this morning.

"Yes, horrid. Lipton has nothing on good old local tea from home. Even the tea at work is much more palatable," he said as he walked to the table with his cup and sat at the opposite side of the table. "So, what is on the agenda for today?"

Hermione swallowed hard. _Crap_, she thought. She sighed._ I can't really grunt or nod my way though this. _

"During break last night Latisha asked me to go shopping with her. She said I am in serious need of make-up and hairspray." What she was not going to tell him was that Latisha wanted her to get a good push-up bra while she shopped for 'costumes' for work. Hermione swallowed back the bile that crept up her throat thinking about the store Latisha had described.

"Should be a good girl's moment to get some information from her. As it works out, Bob will be coming over during the day. He probably knew that you girls would be going out."

Hermione nodded before taking another sip of tea.

"I was wondering, has Angel experienced a thunderstorm?" Draco inquired. She looked across the table, wondering who the heck Angel was. He raised an eyebrow, giving her the 'come on you can get this one' look she often gave him.

'Maggie?' she mouthed. He nodded. "Um, no. I've been…well you know, since before she was born." She watched Draco, wondering what he was up to.

"Don't you think that you're damaging her? Giving her a disadvantage that'll hold her back." Her jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?" she hissed. "_Damaging_ her?" She snapped her mouth closed, feeling her temper build.

"Yes; damaging, disadvantaging her. What will happen when she _goes __away__ to school_ and she's the only one in the dorm hiding under a blanket in the fetal position?" All Hermione could do was stare at him. _It's Hogwarts all over again, _she thought. He is throwing last night in my face to prove I'm 'damaged'.

"You leave _Angel_ out of this. Do not talk about her," she hissed, trying to control her anger.

"Don't get pissy. I'm just voicing a concern. You wouldn't want that for her, would you? No. You need to let her run in the rain; giggle when the house shakes from the thunder, watch the lighting dance in the sky. You know how often it storms back home. It's no different from teaching her to read, it's a life skill, if you would. She'll need to be able to handle a bloody good storm before school, if she doesn't, the prissy ones will never let her live it down."

She agreed with everything he said, but she couldn't let her daughter do any of those things. She had thought of planning it out so Maggie would be with Ginny and Harry, or even with Molly, during some thunderstorms, but couldn't bear the thought of her daughter being scared without her.

She stood up quickly to put her cup in the sink. Focusing on the sink, she willed herself not to cry. Feeling a hand rest on her lower back, she flinched out of her thoughts. "Pumpkin, I didn't want to upset you." She relaxed in the domestic feel of the moment. She longed for moments like these, rarely having had any when she was married.

"I _want_ her to run in the rain, but I _can't_." Her voice was thick with emotion, she couldn't hold the tears in any longer. Draco stood by, letting her cry. He, again, hadn't planned this and was very unsure of what to do. He only knew leaving her crying at the sink, would be the wrong thing. "I miss her so much." Draco's heart broke hearing this. He wanted children so badly, so the pain for him was amplified.

"Honey, you gotta get a bitching bra. You gotta shove them puppies up to your chin." Latisha said as she took a bra from the rack. "Those old perverts love perky tits. Oh this one is nice," she said as she handed one bra over. Hermione looked at it with distaste.

_I so did not survive the war to do this, _she thought as she looked at the bra. To play up to the role of Anna, she held the bra up to herself. "You think this one will do it?" she asked.

Latisha looked up and shook her head. "No, too much coverage. Put it back." She picked up a lacy number and handed it over to Hermione.

"The uniform top is kind of thin. Wouldn't this thick lace be obvious?"

"That's the point my dear. Lust. Desire. It's how the inward side rules the protruding side; they think with their eyes and dicks, not with their mind, nor intelligence. Use that to your advantage. They are weak, we are strong." Latisha said in an ominous voice that reminded her of the Dark Lord for a split second. Her grip tightened on the hanger that held the racy push-up. Latisha smiled like she was embarrassed for a moment. In a less 'possessed' voice she continued. "Darling, women hold all of the power over men. Use that power to get the big tips at the end of the night." Hermione nodded, then watched the tall dark woman walk toward the costume section.

If she didn't know any better, she would have said Latisha was a Veela with issues, but Latisha was muggle, so that un-nerving thought was rubbish. Several seductive costume opinions, and three fantastic push-up bras later, they were on their way back to the apartment.

Hermione looked forward to a quiet evening at home before her shift tonight. The whole inward-protruding sides conversation had her exhausted. She felt most drained after she had tried on one outfit that Latisha insisted she try. It was a little medieval number that required someone to lace you in. The hem of the skirt ended just below the knicker line. The bodice of the outfit shoved her bosom so high, she worried she would spill over the top. Since then, she had been dead on her feet. It was like all of her energy was sucked out of her.

When Latisha and she walked into the apartment, they found Bob and Draco sitting in the living room, watching television. Hermione didn't notice the brand new flat screen, nor the cable that was installed or the level of intoxication the men were at, all she wanted was something to drink and to take a long nap.

"Run you wanker! Run!" Draco yelled at the television.

"Yeah! Run!" Bob joined in. Latisha dropped her bags on the floor and slid over the back of the couch, landing right next to her husband. "Hey there Darling, how you doing?"

"Fantastic," she purred. "Who's winning?" Bob looked at the screen, glassy eyed. He smiled as he shrugged.

"Not a fucking clue. I yell when he yells." He leaned over and kissed his wife. "I learned some new curses though," he said proudly. He rehearsed a few of Draco's choice phrases for the ladies.

"Oh great," Latisha said with the slightest amount of sarcasm. "Now you can curse around the apartment in two languages."

Draco and Hermione looked at each other. Draco's look saying, 'Is she that much of a dimwit?' Hermione waved Draco's look away as she noticed the collection of beer bottles on the coffee table. She now noticed the flat screen. Slowly her eyes moved to Draco, who looked just as pissed up as Bob.

"James, where did that come from?" Draco shifted in the Lazy-Boy and looked at her lazily.

"The store."

"Um-hum, Yeah. See I understand that, but what the hell is it doing in the living room? Why do _we_ have _it_?"

The Greens turned their attention from the flat screen to the building tension across the room.

"I ordered it. It came. We hooked it up, aw, well Bob hooked it up and now we get three hundred channels and get to watch Football." Draco took a long sip from his beer bottle. Hermione had known that there would be a reason for her and Draco to get into an argument when she came home. He had warned her before she left. But a freaking flat screen? Cable? Two drunken men? Even though she wasn't paying for the bill, she would still 'fly off the handle' as he described it.

"You _ordered_ it? When? With what money are you paying for it?" she hissed. Bob shifted on the couch, looking like he was starting to sober up some.

"Yes and on credit," Draco replied.

"_Credit? _You got a television on credit and didn't even ask me! Didn't even talk to me beforehand? What's the interest? How long is the loan? What the bloody hell was going through your bloomin' mind when you did this?" She yelled. She was pleased with how easy it was to play the pissed off wife with Draco. All she needed to do was call on all of her frustration from when they were in school together.

"Aha, what was the first question?" he slurred. Draco looked at her, his face out of the Greens' line of sight. He winked at her and held his hand out. Glaring at him, she walked over and placed her hand in his. He pulled her down on top of him. She yelped as he pulled her so she was sitting on him.

"What are you-" Draco's lips silenced her question. She froze for a moment before she felt herself respond. When he pulled back from the kiss, she found that her hands were tangled in his hair.

Dopey-eyed she looked at him. "Pumpkin, it'll be alright. Now how about you go get Bob and me another beer?" he asked. She nodded. He lowered his head so his lips were on the sensitive area below her ear. "I've been filling my bottle with water," he whispered.

Hermione nodded again as she crawled off of him. She gave the men their beers and Latisha a Diet Pepsi. After Draco had pulled her onto his lap for a quick snog, she made her way to the kitchen to make spaghetti. Once she had the meatballs frying on the stove, she bent over to get a pot from the lower cupboard. She grabbed the large pot and panic shot through her chest when she found a pair of large beady eyes looking back at her.


	7. Fluffy

_**Thank you TheRimmerConnection for your help, it wouln't be readable without you.**_

_**

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**_

_**...Once she had the meatballs frying on the stove, she bent over to get a pot from the lower cupboard. She grabbed the large pot and panic shot through her chest when she found a pair of large beady eyes looking back at her.**_

* * *

She dropped the pan and screamed. When Draco and Bob stormed into the kitchen, she was on a chair, hiding her face in her hands.

"What is it! What happened?" Draco asked as he pried her hands from her face. She was angry now that the shock was over.

"God! It's not like I haven't seen a rat before," she said through her teeth. Draco looked puzzled. She pointed to the open cupboard. Both he and Bob walked over and took a peek. Draco backed up when he saw the large rat.

"Bloody hell!" he yelled as he backed up against the opposite wall. Bob chuckled.

"Scared of a rat, James?" Bob was obviously working hard at holding back his laughter. "How about you go with Latisha and get my cage? Hey babe!" he called out. Latisha peeked into the kitchen. "Take James with you to get my cage and net. Looks like the Gonzalezes' rat got out again." She nodded and held her hand out for Draco. When they left, Bob looked at the embarrassed woman, still perched on a chair.

"I had a friend in school who had a rat, but he was much smaller. That thing is as big as my cat," she informed him. He nodded with a small grin in place.

"You look very tired darling. Did shopping take its toll on you?"

"Yeah, it did. Odd: I normally have great endurance, but for some reason it did. I might be getting ill or something." She noted the all-knowing look he wore as he nodded once more.

"Come over here Anna." When he saw her apprehension, he held his hand out. "I'll be right here. I will not let Fluffy hurt you."

"Fluffy?" she asked as she walked over to him. He chuckled and knelt on one knee. She hesitated, but sat on his knee when he motioned her to. She took a deep breath and looked into the cupboard. She saw Fluffy and felt sad for him. Here she was, screaming, and he or she looked like it was scared out of its mind. Fluffy scurried further into the corner and dropped its head low.

"He," Bob said. Hermione looked back at him surprised. "Fluffy is a he. What a horrible name for a boy rat. I would have gone with Spot or Killer myself." He shrugged nonchalantly as she stared slightly slack jawed. When Draco and Latisha walked back in, she oddly felt more energized. She didn't feel dead on her feet any more. She got up and walked to stand by Draco, who didn't look all that pleased with her sitting on Bob's knee. He possessively wrapped his arm around her and watched as Bob talked the rat out. Draco watched and was reminded of magical creatures' caretakers. Bob seemed to communicate with the rat, soothing it so it would walk into the cage of its own will. _Interesting, _he thought_. Very interesting._

Work for Hermione was busy. She felt like she had only been there for an hour, but it was already closing time. Again, Draco stayed and kept her 'company'. He walked from the men's bathroom and smacked right into someone.

"Oi! Sorry there mate," he said as he grabbed whoever he had bumped. He looked up and saw Bob shaking his head.

"Jeez I gotta tell the bartender to cut you off," he said with a roar of laughter. He patted Draco's shoulder before his face turned serious. He looked Draco straight in the eyes. Draco felt a cold shiver down his spine as Bob commanded his attention.

"James, I want you to listen to me, okay. Stay away from my wife. Do not touch her. Do not talk to her, unless I am there. You understand?"

Draco nodded, not liking the jealous, possessive husband bit.

"No nodding. I want you to tell me that you understand. I like you man, but that's the deep ass line in the sand. Do not go near my wife."

"Yeah man, I got it. No talking to her or touching her."

"You can talk to her, but only when I'm there." He patted him on the shoulder again. "So," he said with his voice less serious and more southern. "I'll bring over some meat and my grill tomorrow. We'll fry out on the balcony. There's a _Die Hard_ Marathon tomorrow on TV. It's an American classic, you'll love it."

"Alright, yeah that sounds great. Anna will make some sides." Bob smiled and stepped around him. Draco stood there for a moment. _What the hell was that about?_ He made his way toward the bar and found Hermione ready to go.

On their way back to the apartment, they exchanged information about their day. The bus was oddly the safest place to talk about work. Hermione told Draco about the odd inward-protruding sides conversation and Draco told her about the rat-wrangling he noticed.

Both agreed that the Greens might just be picking up behaviors and vocabulary from the wizards that they worked for.

"James, do you have a picture of Sutekh and Limia Siebog? There wasn't one in the file I received."

Draco sat back in his seat. Come the think of it, he thought, he had never actually seen a picture of them. Only sketches. "No, I haven't. I had a sketch of them, but that's not here. It was very non-descriptive. _I_ could be Sutekh, that's how vague the sketch was."

"So I could be serving them drinks every night and not know it?" she hissed.

"Yeah pretty much. Look we'll know it when we see it. These are powerful wizards that roam freely in the muggle world with anonymity. We'll know. We'll feel it when we are with them."

She nodded just as a clap of thunder cracked. She flinched and automatically clung on to Draco.

Draco smiled, liking the fact that she needed him. Yeah, so she used him as a safety blanket during a storm, but she still needed _him_. He shushed her and wrapped his arm around her.

"We'll be at our bus stop in a few minutes. Soon we'll be in the apartment, all safe. Okay?"

All she could do was nod and feel mad at herself. When they got home, Draco pulled the Lazy-Boy in front of the balcony glass door. "Come over here Pumpkin."

She shook her head and mumbled "No". He sighed and walked over to her, dragging her to the chair with him. He sat down, pulling her to his lap. He tucked her in tight to him and covered them with a blanket.

"Dr-James," she whined as she tightened her grasp on his arm.

"Shh, it's okay. It's called De-sensitizing. The internet said it would help." She jerked up and looked at him. He flinched back, seeing the anger on her face.

"You Googled it?" she hissed. He swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn't be strangled soon.

"Binged it actually, but I never typed your name or anything, just 'what to do about fear of storms'. This was the easiest." Hermione dropped her head back to his neck when the thunder rumbled again.

"I am to talk to you while we sit here. It said it would help ease your mind."

"Then talk," she said through clenched teeth.

"My ex-wife is Lorena Lockwood. You might not remember her; she was a couple of years below us in school. She was taken in by the Greengrass family when her parents died. She was buddies with Astoria," he said. Hermione's interest was captured. She mumbled an 'okay' before a flash of lighting lit up the room. She moaned as she squeezed her eyes shut. Draco continued, hoping she would calm down again. "So we got together and started dating. She was everything I was looking for. Right away in the beginning I told her that I wanted a family. Four kids was what we settled on. The wedding was planned and I was over the moon when we moved into the Manor. A few months before the wedding we agreed to start trying to get pregnant." Draco shifted in the chair, uncomfortable with telling her the deepest secrets of why his marriage failed. They had issued a boring press release, 'irreconcilable differences', but locked away under layers and layers of protection on his official records was the truth. "Each month, nothing. After five months I asked her to go to the Mediwitch with me. We were seen separately of course, but she told me she had a perfect bill of health. 'Just poor timing' was what my wife told me the doctor told her. My health, I knew was fine. She had some parchments with tips on conceiving, so we tried again and again and again. When we had been married for six months and she was still not pregnant, I started to wonder why."

"Were you checked by the Mediwitch, or did you assume you where fine? Could be you," she chimed in. He was thankful that at least she was listening and not in a state over the weather.

"If you repeat any of this conversation, I'll kill you, bury you and dance on your grave. I'll even hex the ground so flowers won't grow." Hermione burst out laughing. "I mean it woman, not even a weed will grow on your grave."

"I p-p-promise," she managed as she wiped her eyes.

"Alright." He groaned. "Before I started seeing Lorena, I got hexed horribly once on a job. Bloody wanker hexed me where no man should ever be hexed." He ignored the gasp that was followed by snickering. "The Mediwitch checked me over and treated me. Per that Mediwitch, I was fine. 'Better than before,' she even had the nerve to say. Well it still worried me, so I went to London and had a muggle doctor check." He looked down at a pair of big brown eyes. "Did you know that they make you…umm, well, you know, into a cup? It was degrading and perverted. Nasty things them doctors are. Blahha! Well that doctor said that my little swimmers are healthy and strong. Fantastic numbers. So I knew it was not me that was the problem. The problem was what I found in her bathroom behind the loo. She had been taking a contraceptive potion the whole time." He heard Hermione gasp again.

"No!" she said as she placed one hand over her mouth. He nodded.

"I waited the whole month, acting like I knew nothing about it, but I watched the quantity of potion in the bottle. It decreased gradually. The month concluded and she acted so heartbroken to get her bleeds. I walked into her bathroom while she cried on our bed and got the potion. When she saw me walk in with it, she stopped crying. She knew it would be pointless to lie anymore. She told me that she didn't want babies. She didn't want to ruin her body. She didn't want to deal with 'needy little snot-nosed things'." Hermione sat up and looked at him in shock. She could see the pain in his eyes.

"How horrible. How could someone say and do that? Babies are a blessing. My world revolves around Maggie."

"She said she wanted to be a Malfoy, live the life of one, but she knew if she told me before that she didn't want children, I wouldn't marry her. I'm not sure if her assumption was true. Maybe we would have worked it out if she had told me before that she didn't want a family. She lied and I couldn't trust her. I didn't know her. How could I trust anything I thought or knew about her? I filed for our divorce the next day." Draco looked down at Hermione, who wiggled more into his body. Their relationship may have always been turbulent, but they were honest with each other. He rubbed her back as he looked out through the glass doors.

"Congratulations Pumpkin. You made it through the storm," he announced. Hermione's head shot up, hitting him in the jaw. She looked out the window and saw a clear Chicago skyline.

"Oh my God! I did." She turned and looked at Draco to thank him. She was so excited that only now did she notice he was rubbing his jaw. "Oh, sorry." She rubbed his jaw for him, moving his hand out of the way. "Oh poor baby," she cooed. "Here, this will make it feel better." She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his jaw.

Draco's body jolted awake. His toes curled, his grip on her tightened, and he felt a flood of heat cross his stomach. All with that single, innocent little kiss. He turned his head slightly when she pulled away. She froze in place, her lips mere centimeters from his. He looked at her eyes just as they drifted shut and she leaned forward again. He kissed her feverishly, drinking in all of her. His hands roamed up and down her back and side, finding their resting spot in her wild hair.

"This is a bad idea," she said against his lips.

"Worst bloody idea," he replied before kissing her again.


	8. Oh I gotta get that!

**_Hello all of my faithful readers! Thanks for following, it's very encouraging. Much praise to TheRimmerConnect for the hard work and gentle guidance she has done. Best Beta ever. Hope you like the next chapter...The M rating is going to get good use in this and the next couple of chapters. _**

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Previously…

_**His hands roamed up and down her back and side, finding their resting spot in her wild hair. **_

_**"This is a bad idea," she said against his lips.**_

_**"Worst bloody idea," he replied before kissing her again. **_

* * *

Draco and Hermione had avoided each other in the three weeks since the thunderstorm incident. In fact, that was putting it mildly. They had avoided each other like the Bubonic plague. Hermione was thankful that at least nothing had happened past a good snog.

Hermione picked up extra shifts at the club, Draco just disappeared.

Hermione's temperament was reaching explosive levels at this point. She worked her tail off at the club, hung out with the staff, shopped with Latisha, had, yuck, coffee with Bob and even, against her better judgment, had lunch with Marc. _But what has that __inbred__, s__t__uck up, loathsome ferret done? Nothing! _She thought. Not a darn thing! Hermione staggered into the kitchen, alone, to get another bottle of booze. Moving up from wine to flavored vodka, the warm and fuzzy witch ripped off the paper seal on the bottle of vanilla, and poured it into her glass. She counted to three as she poured, visually measured how much alcohol was in the glass, shrugged and poured another splash in. She added her ice and diet soda and made her way back into the living room.

"This will be the only time I say it, but thank Merlin that _man_ of mine got this." She sloppily picked up the remote and clicked to a different channel. She stopped at an info-commercial that had a man straightening woman's hair with a goofy-looking straight iron.

_It's not a brush. It's not a flat iron. It's not a curling iron. It's the InStyler® rotating hot iron!_

the man on the telly said. Hermione took another sip of her mixed drink and dropped

the remote. She watched as the man straightened the horribly unruly hair of the ladies on the stage.

_Oh I gotta get _that_! __s_he thought as the man easily ran the device down one woman's hair, leaving beautifully manageable hair. She lazily rolled her head to one side, eyeing Draco's wallet. "How dear of him to leave his wallet here, all alone." She sinisterly smiled as she picked it up and dropped it. She watched it flop open. She placed her glass on the table and reached for the phone.

"Oh come here you lonely little credit card. I know you are lonely. Oh? No one touched you since you got that big old telly? Oh well come here," she cooed as she slid the card out of his wallet.

Hermione tried her dandiest to sound sober while she ordered the 'InStyler',' The Bark Buster' (even though she nor Draco had a dog), 'The Garden Groom' (hah, their poor excuse for a garden – all they had was a flower pot on the balcony), 'The Shake Weight', 'The Men's Shake Weight' (humph, like he needed it – he was pure muscle), and two 'Twin Draft Guards' (it was a crappy apartment – _that_ was a legitimate buy.)

Draco was piss roaring mad when he got home last night. Not only was his 'wife' passed out on the couch, but his muggle wallet was scattered all over the coffee table. He scooped Hermione up in his arms and dropped her un-ceremoniously in her bed. He cleaned up the mess of soda cans, candy wrappers, and unreadable scraps of paper that he found in the living room and sat on the balcony trying to calm down. "I don't need this crap," he said out loud to the skyline.

"Don't need to be out with Bob on some dock in a questionable area of town with her drinking bottles of muggle booze. What if I needed her? Hmm? What if I came across the Wizards we are investigating and I needed her and she was all pissed up?" He decided that he would give her a piece of his mind tomorrow. He would remind her that they needed to be at all times, ready. Humph, he would have assumed, silly him, that a former member of the Golden Trio would have had that embedded into her thick head.

The next morning, Hermione work up alone, _again_. She braced herself when she felt the world slosh around her. "Oh, crap," was all she could manage. After a few deep breaths she got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She groaned at the image that looked back at her.

"My my, don't you look like crap? Well that's what you get for drinking wine last night," she scolded herself.

She took her shower, vomited somewhere in the rinse, lather and repeat part of her hair regimen. This was going to be a long day she decided. When she was all clean, and thankfully feeling better, she made her way to the living room. She paused, taking in the 'clean' living room_. Hmm, I could have__ sworn__ I needed to clean something up, _she thought before walking into the kitchen; where she saw not just one, but several bottles of alcohol in the rubbish.

She stood slack jawed.

"What? Shocked you drank so much? I'm surprised you even woke up this morning, you flippin' wino. I was sure you would die from poisoning," she heard from behind her. She turned and found a rather prickly-looking Draco. He sneered at her and made his way to the stove. "I was out on a job last night, reconnaissance if you will. All I have to say, is I thank _God_I didn't need your muddy back up."

She stood there glaring at him. Muddy? _Muddy? _She clenched her teeth together, keeping in the harsh rebuttals.

She watched Draco set the kettle for hot water and place bread in the toaster.

"I'm going to work," she said as she turned around.

"Work? It's ten in the morning? Where the hell are you working?" he sneered as she got to the kitchen door. Her temper snapped. All of her frustration from the last three weeks boiled over at this point. She had felt awkward since the storm and the Lazy-Boy snogging, she missed Maggie and she was one hundred percent lonely. And darn it, she was hung over!

"At Delirium! The same bloody place I've been working at this whole time. Not that you've noticed, you're only here long enough to eat and sleep. I've been working doubles there for the last two and a half weeks. Setting up shopping trips and manicures with Latisha, lunching with Marc, and whatever the other staff who have befriended me have wanted to do! I've been working my tail off and this is the most I've seen of you! Do not make me feel shitty for enjoying my night off!" _Even if it was alone_, she added at the end. She was so mad she was on the verge of hyperventilating. She shook her head and walked out of the kitchen.

Draco stood there, willing himself to not move. He knew one of two things would happen if he did: one, he would get in to a homicidal augment with Granger; or two, he would fuck his bloody brains out with her. Even though he wanted the latter, he knew the other would win with her mood. He listened to the tea pot kettle whistle, but didn't move until he heard the front door open and shut. He roughly shut the burner off and picked out a tea for the morning. He needed to finish this wretched job so he could go home. So he could be far from Granger. That night he had spilled his guts to her during the storm, at this point, he wholly regretted. Fuck her and her fear of storms. Fuck her and her 'I'm so darn tired after being with Latisha' moments. Just….Aaahhhh if he had a wand, he would hex her! Yes. He would hex that filthy mudblood out of his sight. He felt the flood gates of his hatred open thinking about her. Merlin, he almost preferred hating her over caring for her. It was less work mentally, it was less painful.

Hermione stomped into work, still irritated with Draco. She stormed into Marc's office and dropped her purse and windbreaker into her crate. Marc looked up at her from his desk.

"Anything wrong Anna?" Hermione looked over and shook her head.

He stood up and rounded his desk. "You know you can tell me what's up, no matter what it is, right?" she nodded. He snaked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a loose embrace.

"It's just the little man at home," she muttered. He busted out laughing.

"God damn. I've never had a women be that honest with me."

She thought her statement over for a moment than shook her head. "No, not like that. Guys are always calling the wife the little women, well I wanted to use the same phrasing." He nodded, grin still in place.

"Sure, okay. But let me still enjoy that the way you _didn't _mean it, okay?"

She nodded, what else could she do?

Draco was flipping through the channels when Bob pounded on the door. He yelled 'Come in!' instead of getting up and inviting him in properly. He wasn't in the mood to be proper.

"Hey there. Um, have you seen the little woman around?" Bob asked as he ran his hand through his hair.

Draco looked over and rolled his eyes. "I have one of my own that I can't control; why are you asking me about yours?"

"I am asking about yours," he exclaimed. Draco sat up. _Why would he be asking about 'Minoe? _He thought.

"Mine?"

"Yes. Anna. Your wife. Have you seen her?" Draco watched the man shift from foot to foot. He was worked up about something.

"Why?"

"Just answer the fucking question, now!" Draco told him that he saw her this morning before she left for work before he could even snap at the man for addressing him in such a manner.

He nodded and left without another word.

Draco felt uneasy about the whole incident so he called Hermione at the club. Marc told him she was out with Latisha. Shopping for club stuff was all the explanation he was able to get from her boss. He tried her cell phone then. He listened to the phone ring as he paced the apartment. In the distance he heard some music. When he got her voice mail, the music stopped. Sighing, he rang her again and listened for the music. He followed the sound to her room. Right on top of her dresser was her phone, buzzing around in a circle, singing for whoever would listen to it.

"Damn it all to Hell on a Broom!"

"What about this little one here?" Latisha asked as she held up a platter for inspection. Hermione looked at the fruit platter. It was gorgeous. The saleslady called it an Edible Arrangement. All of the fruit was cut out in stars, flowers and wedges, and arranged in such a way that it looked like a flower arrangement.

"I like this one." Latisha nodded in agreement. She turned to the saleslady and asked for the same arrangement, but three in a size larger. Hermione slowly moved around in the little store. She was at the soaps and candles in one corner of the store when Latisha found her again. "Come on, we need to get some stuff from the Liquor store before work. Tonight's VIP party will be the best yet." She held the door open for Hermione as they exited. "Now, you'll remember to bring your James, right?"

"Yep, will do." She hadn't even asked him, but felt the need to entertain Latisha with a favorable answer.

"Great! I've already invited the new month's VIPs and once we're done shopping, it'll all fall into place. Now please promise me, you'll be there with James," she begged. Hermione nodded again.

"Promise."

"Cross your heart and swear to die?" she asked in a childish voice. Hermione couldn't help but feel a sick sub-meaning to the statement.

"We'll be there," she repeated.

"But you didn't cross your heart and swear to die." She thanked Merlin that just as she opened her mouth, Latisha's phone rang.

_How bizarre, _she thought as they walked down the street.

That night Marc was Mister Grabby Hand. It was like he had no choice but to grope the female staff. Hermione gritted her teeth and ignored it. _Just one more hour_, she reassured herself. She counted the minutes until closing. She had no interest in staying for the little VIP party tonight, and didn't tell Draco about it. No need for him to show up and scold and sneer at her.

Thirty minutes before last call, she saw Draco waltz in. _Oh great. _He perched at 'his' stool and placed a twenty on the counter.

"What can I get you?" she asked, treating him like any other customer.

"So loving," he muttered. "Beer. No, scratch that, Scotch neat." She sighed but got him his order. _Going to be one of those nights_. She tended to two other men before Draco got her attention again.

"Yes?" she asked sweetly. She didn't miss the eye roll he did.

"So why didn't I get an 'invite' to the big event. I have it on good authority that you were under the strictest order to invite me?"

"Because, I didn't want to come. We were to be here as a couple, minus me, there would be no couple, so there was no need to _invite _you."

"We'll I'm here, so you'll just have to grin and bear it Sweet Pea," he sneered.

Latisha came over to the bar after Bob closed up the doors. In the bar, Hermione noted were a select few. Sixteen people, tops, stayed for the VIP party. Kind of a low number she thought, based on the size of the club.

"Here you go. Have a nice little mixer, you deserve it after a night like tonight," Latisha said as she handed over a neon-green drink. Hermione nodded by way of thanks for the drink, before taking a long sip.

"Whew, that must be nothing but shots," she said as she instantly felt a warming calm hit her. Latisha smiled, sickly sweet.

"Umhm," was all she said as Hermione took another sip.

She felt every muscle relax and all of her defenses drop. She felt free as a bird and wanted to fly. She smiled at Latisha, who smiled back. She motioned with her sexy finger to follow her to the main dance floor. Hermione giggled as she followed, sipping her drink on and off. Hermione didn't notice the other guests who were in just as good a mood as she was. Some guests were snogging, some were beyond snogging as they littered the floor with clothes, and the few left over watched. Hermione sat where Latisha indicated her to and watched as she slowly sipped her drink.

Draco stepped out the back door with Bob, for a quick smoke. He had watched Bob and Marc like a hawk since he got to the club. Both men were acting out of sorts. At first he pinned it to the party tonight, but as the night moved along, it was obvious that was not all that had the two men worked up.

Bob threw his smoke on the ground and stomped it. "Come on, let's get back in there."

Draco nodded and dropped his on the ground so he could snuff it. When Draco walked into the main room, he stood shell shocked. _What the bloody hell? It's an orgy. _

"Come on, let's get you a damn drink," Bob growled.


	9. Aferdiacat

Hello there all! Yes, normally I do update quicker than this, BUT TheRimmerConnection and I worked very hard on this chapter. Again, TRC has done a fabulous job. Thank you. Now please sit back and enjoy ;)

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Previously…He had watched Bob and Marc like a hawk since he got to the club. Both men were acting out of sorts. At first he pinned it to the party tonight, but as the night moved along, it was obvious that was not all that had the two men worked up.

_**Bob threw his smoke on the ground and stomped it. "Come on, let's get back in there."**_

_**Draco nodded and dropped his on the ground so he could snuff it. When Draco walked into the main room, he stood shell shocked. **__**What the bloody hell? It's an orgy. **_

_**"Come on, let's get you a damn drink," Bob growled.**_

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"What the hell kind of VIP party is this?" Draco demanded as Bob poured three drinks at the bar.

"One you're not staying for. Here." Bob handed over a brown drink. Draco raised an eyebrow looking at it. "It's just a Coke. Calm the fuck down." Bob came out from behind the bar and walked with purpose toward the sexual focal point of the room. He found Hermione sitting on a leather chair, sipping a green drink. He noted that she was watching a couple on the floor with great interest. He watched the couple as he followed Bob: both naked, they worshiped each other's bodies. The man, on his knees, placed gentle kisses on the woman's body as she leaned back. He started at her collarbone and traced a line to her breast as he slid his hand between her legs to stroke her softly and intimately. He continued his kisses lower until his mouth joined his hand, making her moan in approval as he started to lick at her wetness. Draco grinned an approval when he saw the man snake his arms under the woman's legs and pull her up with him, never removing his mouth from her sweet spot.

He bit his lip as he turned his attention back to Hermione. Now she was slouched low in the chair; legs crossed tightly, slowly sipping her drink. He saw her flushed cheeks and groaned. His cock hardened rapidly as he watched her enjoy the show.

Bob kneeling in front of Hermione jolted him out of his sexual daydream. Her lustful smile when Bob sat her up and settled himself in between her legs shoved all the lust out of him and replaced it with jealousy and possessiveness.

"Hey there babe, drink this for me," he heard Bob order. Hermione shook her head as she jiggled her half empty glass. Bob took the glass with force, leaving the straw still held between her lips. He replaced the green drink with his purple one. She smiled, straw still in place. She shrugged and sipped as he stood up.

"What the hell?" Draco managed.

"Let her drink at least half of that. Then leave with her, brother."

"Huh?"

"Do it brother. Just do it. Force it down her if you have to, but get at least that much in. Take her home and," Bob smirked. "Keep up if you can."

Bob turned his head and found his wife on the far side of the room. Draco looked and saw Latisha half dressed, on the lap of one man as she pleasured another with her mouth.

"Bloody hell! Bob?" Draco hoped that he wouldn't be getting into a fist fight with the men that Bob's wife was with. Bob turned his attention back to Draco. He saw no anger or jealousy on his face. More confused, he said Bob's name again.

"Anna's finished her drink. Take her home. Now." Draco nodded as he turned his attention to Hermione.

Most of the bus ride home, Hermione groped Draco. He cursed himself for enjoying it, but hey, he was a guy.

"Anna," he warned. Hermione had one leg over Draco's. She was placing kisses and licks on his neck and ear lobe, as her hands worked his chest and abdomen. He verbally warned her when her hands moved 'too' far south. She purred as she shifted her weight to her knee, shifting her body so she straddled him. His hands gripped her hips, willing her to stop. "Anna," he growled. She moved her mouth from one side of his neck to the other, forcing his head toward the other passengers. He wasn't one to embarrass easily, nor was he well known for being 'modest' when he enjoyed the ladies as a student at Hogwarts. More than once had he been pleasured in the common room with an audience, but now? He didn't like it. His mind was too scrambled to know if it was age or if it was the person he was with. Either way, he didn't like that they had two men, one with his camera phone fixed on them, watching.

"I want you so much," she purred. "Please, oh gods."

She rocked her hips as she pressed down with force. Draco dropped his head back, letting out a groan. If she did that again, he would take here on the bus: audience and all.

The bus came to a forceful halt. He looked at what stop they were at and thanked Merlin.

"Come on Pumpkin. It's our stop." He heard the groans of the growing audience they had acquired. His sexual monkey just clung on. "You getting up, or am I giving you a lift?" She tightened her grip on him. "Lift it is then." He stood up and wrapped his arms around Hermione's ass. He begged the other passengers' pardons as he made his way off the bus. He inwardly grinned as he was cheered on by the other guys as he passed.

Merlin knows how much of this night she'll remember tomorrow, he thought, knowing that this moment would kill her with embarrassment. He was surprised at his control when he found that they had made it to the apartment, and their clothes were still on.

"Oh gods, take me," she purred as he locked the door.

"Honestly, I'm shocked at your strength." She had held on for the whole walk up the block and the stairwell. He was even more shocked with himself. She let go of his neck and pulled her shirt off. He growled, pushing her against the door, losing control for a moment. Seeing her in her lace push-up tipped the balance, and he almost came in his pants. Fuck it, he thought. He kissed her hungrily as her hands held him close. He ground his groin into her, letting her feel his rock-hard erection. His blood rushed through his body with a hot force as he heard her gasp in approval. He gripped her hips, forcing her down harder onto him.

"Bedroom. Now," she commanded. He didn't need to be told twice. As he carried her through to the bedroom, she whispered into his ear the things she had seen tonight that made her hot and wet.

"I felt so hot when I saw him slide his fingers into her and make her cry out his name. Did you see?"

"Yeah," he answered, his voice deep and husky. "I saw. I want you to cry out like that. I want to hear you scream my name. You want me to do that? You want me to finger fuck you hard like he was?"

Hermione shivered, imagining Draco's long fingers in her. "Yes. Oh god yes," she moaned. She kissed his cheek, slowly moving toward his lips.

He reached the bedroom and rested against the wall, kicking off his shoes. Hermione leaned back so she could push his windbreaker off, then yanked at his shirt. She kissed and nipped at his bare shoulder. Draco's knees weakened. Everything she did was perfect tonight, driving him crazy with desire. He bounced her up higher and gripped her tighter. She moaned encouragingly. He turned and sat on the bed.

"Anna," he said breathlessly. She ignored him. "Anna!" he repeated, still no reaction. He closed in on her ear. "Hermione," he hissed.

"What?" she said, exasperated.

"You're drunk. We can't do this," he reasoned. She giggled.

"Latisha said there wasn't booze in the drink. That it was an aferdiacat." He looked at her with furrowed brows.

"Huh?"

"She made a special drink. No booze. Just herbs and stuff. "

"What specifically is in the special drink?" he asked, wondering if she meant aphrodisiac, hoping there wasn't a breed of cats named 'Aferdia'.

"Dunno. Very old," she moaned, pressing her body down hard and rocking her hips. He dropped his head back, enjoying the sensation. "She said it was the drink of the love gods."

"I don't want you to regret this tomorrow because you were pissed up on whatever you're on."

"I won't." He didn't argue anymore. He didn't want to. He rolled over with her and kissed her from her lips to her toes. When his kisses reached her belly, she tried to cover it up and he cooed at her,

"You're beautiful. Don't hide yourself." She shook her head.

"Umm, I haven't lost all of the baby fat from Maggie."

"You are luscious. Soft. Sexual. Motherly. Goddess-like. Everything a woman should be. You are what all men want."

Hermione hid the tear that fell from her eye as she listened to his praise. She had missed a man's touch so much. She hadn't been touched by a man since she left her husband. She arched her back, accepting his kisses, feeling the fire igniting inside her as he kissed a trail down to her shorts. He slid them off and returned in a line of kisses from her ankle to her thighs. She felt the fire inside her intensify as he pressed closer, kissing her first softly, then deeper, driving into her with his tongue. Her hands slid through his hair, encouraging his kisses as his hands slid up and down her thighs while he licked her, enjoying the moans he received in return. He spread her legs further apart and slid a finger into her. He sucked on her clit all the harder when he heard her gasp, alternating his sucking and licking as he pumped his long strong finger into her.

He added a second and a third, keeping the same pace. Hermione bucked her hips. Her breaths quickened. Her legs kicked on both sides of him. He rotated his hand so he could bend his fingers. Hitting her G-spot he listened to her breath catch in her throat. He felt her walls tighten down on his fingers and he loved it. He loved that he was doing this to her, pleasing her and getting this reaction from her. He ignored the cramping he felt in his hand and rubbed harder and faster, rewarded by the slickness of her fresh juices. He smirked. "Going to need to change the sheets love, you're making quite a wet spot."

Hermione flushed, but hearing Draco tell her that in that husky voice, pushed her over the edge. She arched violently as she came. Draco removed his fingers and licked the new juices that flowed. "You're so sweet. I could lie here and drink you all up."

Hermione pulled him up to her. "Let me taste," she said as she kissed him deeply. He moaned into her mouth, grinding his hard cock against her wetness. She pushed him over and unbuttoned his pants. He quickly shucked them off. His eyes fixed on her. She gave him a lick, and moaned in approval at the taste of the pre-cum already leaking from him. Hermione shimmied up him and got to her feet, squatting over him. Draco took in the erotic view.

"I want to try something," Hermione said with a blush. "I read about it once," she said before she lowered herself, he placed his hand on her lower abdomen, murmuring a contraception charm out of habit. Hermione groaned and raised herself to line up with his large, thick cock. Draco tensed, thinking that she would take him slowly, but she impaled herself with one quick motion. They both let out a gasp.

Hermione was shocked by how uncomfortable it was, almost as if it were her first time. She hadn't been with a man for so long. After a moment she leaned back, bracing her hands on his legs. She slid up and down, feeling the fire inside her grow again. She watched Draco staring at the point where they met and felt her climax start to build again.

Draco watched her slide up and down him. He gripped her knees, hissing when he saw how wet she was. He looked up to Hermione's face, pleased with the pleasure he saw on her face. He grinned and dropped his head back on the bed, letting himself enjoy the moment. He rocked his hips to meet her rhythm. A wet, hard smack on his abdomen shot his eyes open. He looked down and groaned seeing his cock twitching mid air. He bit his lip seeing Hermione's frustrated look.

"Here, let me," was all he could manage as he positioned himself at her entrance. He held on to her knees, relieved that they quickly found their rhythm again. Listening to Hermione's mewls, he slid his hands up and down her inner thighs. He rocked his hips meeting her hard. He rocked again, eager to her the approving sound he got last time, but the wet hard smack on his abdomen earned two frustrated grunts.

"Hold it in there," Hermione ordered. He knew she was close, but he was closer. He repositioned himself again and placed his thumb on her clit. He rubbed little encouraging circles. They looked each other in the eyes, holding the intimate moment as long as they could. He willed himself to hold on a little longer so she could cum again. Hermione dropped her head back and panted.

He rubbed faster, praying that she would cum within the next few seconds before he lost it. He felt himself tense, felt his toes curl, his sac tighten and his body warm furiously. He groaned loudly as he came. Hermione's orgasm, coming just seconds later, made her tighten around him, intensifying his pleasure further. Then she dropped onto his chest, her breathing labored. He rubbed her back, soothing her as he felt his body slowly recover. At the very least, he had one moment that would forever be stuck in his head, and it scared the shit out of him just now. It was what Hermione had said as she came: "Draco."


	10. I like Yellow Bugger Drops

**|_|)** This pint is for TheRimmerConnection, for another well beta'ed chapter.

(FYI, that's my best attempt at making a little pint of beer.)

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_**Previously…**__** He rubbed her back, soothing her as he felt his body slowly recover. At the very least, he had one moment that would forever be stuck in his head, and it scared the shit out of him just now. It was what Hermione had said as she came: **__**"**__**Draco.**__**"**_

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Draco had been watching the black bird on the fire escape's rail since he woke up. The bird would shuffle from side to side, flap its wings to scare off other birds trying to share the rail, except for one bird. The one bird the black bird let stay, was smaller, a female probably. _Hope he asked the other birds down at the bird feeder about her_, he thought. He would hate to see that bird share his rail, make her a grand nest and stay up late at night protecting their egg, just to get dumped. Heck, the egg probably wouldn't even be his.

Draco groaned, hearing his mother's voice echo in his mind.

"Draco, when did you become so cynical? Yes she hurt you, that won't mean the next will. Now tuck it in and get me a daughter-in-law so I may enjoy some grandchildren." He knew she was_ half_ joking when she scolded him. His jaw dropped to the floor the first time he heard his refined, prim and proper mother talk like that. She told him she was trying to sound muggle. "Better for the image post-war,' she told him. He told her to stop trying. He begged her actually.

Fearing the smallest movement would wake Hermione, he lay frozen, watching the bird. He wasn't ready for the day to start; he mostly just feared that if it did, Hermione would regret what had happened. _Maybe that would be better._ He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. _She said my name_. Yes he had told her he wanted her to scream his name while he pleasured her, but heck, that was just pillow talk. He hadn't realized how much hearing her actually do it would affect him. His eyes popped open and a grin crossed his lips when he heard a moan next to him. _Guess she doesn't regret last night,_ he thought happily. He rolled over and slid his arm across her waist. He froze when her moan turned to a protest. _Fan-fucking-tastic,_ he thought. Looked like his fears were spot on. He rolled onto his back, running his hand through his hair in frustration. Just as he was rolling out of bed, he heard her moan again. He looked back at her, worried. He didn't like that moan. It was a 'right before you puke' moan.

"Pumpkin, you alright?" he asked, rolling back over. Hermione rolled over to face him. Her face flushed with sheen of perspiration across it. He moved a lock of hair off of her face. "You're hot as fire. How do you feel?" he asked, placing his hand on her forehead.

"Like crud. Oh my stomach hurts so much. Everything hurts."

"Do you think it was what you drank last night?" Hermione flinched and nodded.

"I have to get to some of my books. I need to read up on something." Draco shook his head.

"No you don't. You're staying here in bed." He slid out of bed and collected a cold rag and trash can just in case. Once he had Hermione all set up, he left to make tea for her. When he returned to the bedroom, Hermione was asleep again. He set her tea down on the night stand as he heard a knock at the door.

Opening the door, he found a tall Indian woman standing there. She had long straight hair, large almond eyes, and _freckles. _

"May I help you?" he asked, not trusting the women. She placed her hands on her hips and dropped her head a little, focusing her glare on him. He stepped back instinctively. He knew darn well who this was now. The last time he saw a women with that stance, was at Arthur Weasley's retirement party, when Molly scolded him for some reckless stunt he pulled with a muggle contraption called a 'Go Cart'.

"Honestly." The women groaned as she shook her head. "I rather enjoy Pygmy Puffs while I write to my mother about Yellow Bugger Drops."

Draco nodded.

"I rather enjoy my U-No-Poo while wearing my Flaming Pants," he responded. No sooner did he finish, than he saw the Indian beauty morph into Ginny Weasley. "Get in here," he hissed.

He didn't notice the young child holding onto her hand until he closed the door. "What are you doing here _Margaret_? he asked, addressing her by her 'code name'. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You asked me to come yesterday! Please do not tell me you forgot. I rushed a Portkey to get us here. Do you have any idea how many meetings I had to cancel and reschedule to accommodate your request? Not that I'm not excited to see _Anna_." Draco grinned. Boy he must have put a fire under her bum yesterday when he contacted her and demanded that she arrange a visit for Maggie and Hermione. He looked down at the little dark haired girl._ Maggie_.

"Hello there." He held out his hand. The little girl smiled and accepted his hand. "My name is James," he said with a grin. She held her chin high, eager to 'play along'.

"My name is Jess, and I like Yellow Bugger Drops." He looked up at Ginny.

"Well James, shouldn't you say, 'Those are mighty fine on a gloomy day'?" Ginny prompted. He agreed, repeating the sentence that would un-charm their appearance to each other. He was in awe of how much he saw Hermione in Maggie. _Baby bookworm, _he thought to himself, knowing better than to say _that_ out loud.

"James. Is there a reason you're wearing just boxers and I don't see Anna?" Ginny asked, none too pleased.

"She's sick. I just woke up and made her some tea. Haven't had time to change." He was going to leave out where he slept. Didn't need to talk about that in front of the kid.

"Is she okay? Where is she?" Draco pointed to the bedroom. He followed the lady folk in and woke her up. Hermione looked up, concerned when she saw the guest.

"Hey there Pumpkin. You have some visitors," he said, sitting her up. Ginny shifted into full mother hen mode. She checked her temperature with the back of her hand as she reached for the tea that was on the night stand.

"You need to drink this. Do you have any soup? Chicken preferably?" she asked Draco. The deer in the headlights look he gave her was all the answer she needed. She again rolled her eyes and whipped out her wand. She wordlessly flicked her wrist above the night stand. A bowl of chicken broth appeared Ginny took the bowl, and when Draco had coached Hermione to repeat the required phrases, she allowed Ginny to spoon feed her the soup and an endless hug from Maggie. Several minutes later, Ginny cursed and handed the bowl to Draco.

"Damn it. I'm so sorry! I completely forgot!" Ginny yelped, thunking herself on her forehead. Everybody in the room looked at Ginny with questioning looks.

"Magic," she hissed in a whisper. "It'll make her sicker. It was a part of your 'No magic' nonsense. I used it to make the broth, and now her body will reject it. Darn it." She laid Hermione back down. Draco felt a cold shiver of realization. He knew that, bloody hell, _he knew that!_

"Hand me your wand please," he asked in a cold voice. Ginny hesitated, but handed her wand over. Draco flicked his wrist and murmured. Nothing happened. He nodded and handed the wand back.

"Living muggle make you more of an idiot?" Ginny teased. He shrugged.

"Nope, just wanted to check something. No biggie." Bollocks, no biggie it was a_ big_ biggie. If he couldn't perform_ any_ magic, last night could be an issue. But the larger question was, whose magic was making her sick if it was not his?

Hermione's eyes fluttered open and looked at Ginny. She pulled her close. "I need my books."

Ginny smiled reassuringly. "Your body will work it out of its system. Don't worry. Just deal with the symptoms. I'll send your _man_ out for soup." Hermione shook her head, ignoring the pain in her head.

"No I need them. Please bring them." Ginny didn't want to argue with Hermione. She felt responsible for the mess she was in. She nodded and stood up.

"Okay. I'll bring them over today. Which ones do you want?" Hermione told her and just as Ginny prepared to leave, her bracelet hummed on her wrist. Ginny swept her wand over the bracelet and read her message. She cursed again.

"James, a moment," Ginny said, point into the hall, leaving mother and daughter. "I have to head up to the Winnipeg office. I need to leave Jess here. I can't take her up with me." Draco watched Ginny slip a vial from her purse and pop the top.

"Don't you dare," he hissed, pointing at the vial. Ginny gave an apologetic smile and swallowed the contents.

"I'll be back by the end of the day. Just keep them safe and keep getting fluids into Anna." He nodded.

"Fine. Be back by the end of the day." Ginny made her way back into the bedroom.

"Little Miss Jess, you remember the thing I told you to do if anything bad or scary happens, right?" Maggie smiled and pulled out the Hello Kitty purse from her pocket.

"Just open it up and hold the string and think of grandmum's," she told the room proudly. Ginny leaned over to Draco.

"Her personal Portkey back to mum. She knows what to do, just tell her when." Ginny kissed Maggie and Hermione on the cheeks. Maggie scooted back under the covers with Hermione.

Draco followed Ginny back out into the living room.

"If you let anything happen, I mean _anything,_ I will hex you so badly you will beg for death." she hissed. "I have no problem doing time in Azkaban," Ginny hissed.

"Oh stop being dramatic Ginger. You wouldn't do time. You'd have your lover boy make it look like an accident." She grinned a little.

"Yeah, he would." Ginny pulled her wand out and was gone. Draco walked to the kitchen to look through the phonebook. Hopefully he could find a restaurant close by which delivered, to bring soup. Fifteen minutes later he dropped the book on the floor and kicked it across the room. Maggie skipped into the room, shook her head when she spotted the phone book and sat down on a chair.

"Mum is sleeping. We should start cooking some soup and brew some tea and make some pudding. She likes custard too. Oh and we should make-" Draco cut the child off there. He was not a chef, nor a house elf.

"I can't do any of that."

"Why not?" Draco had a response on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back seeing little angelic eyes watching him. He sighed.

"I'm sort of banned from the kitchen. My privileges end at opening the icebox." Maggie giggled.

"Why?"

"A series of unfortunate events. None of which were my fault." He leaned against the counter, letting himself get comfortable with the child.

"Like what? Did you spill the juice and it stained? Where's the stain? Your shirt? Is that why you're not wearing one? I spilled on my pretty dress once. Mum was not happy."

"Little more unfortunate than that," he said, ignoring the whole shirt inquiry. He tried tried to avoid looking Maggie in the eyes. He noticed that she used those little angel eyes to get her way. He faltered. "I, um, well I made the stove catch fire." She gasped and covered her mouth_. Just like her mother_. Great, even in her actions she was a Mini-Granger.

"How?" the little girl squealed.

"I was making a frozen pizza and in my defense the instructions said nothing about removing it from the box and taking it out of the plastic." He rolled his eyes when the little girl bounced up and down, enjoying his misfortunate "Luckily I had a buddy over who helped me out. I cleaned it all up and thought I would get away with your mum not knowing." Draco shook his head and chuckled. "Bob was still laughing about it when your mum and Latisha got back, so she found out. She banned me right then and there from the stove."

"What about the Microwave? You can use that, right?" He shook his head.

"Why?" she squealed, giggling more. Draco rubbed his hand over his face. He groaned and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Burned popcorn. That'll catch fire too, just for your own future reference."

"Wow. I can use the microwave," she said proudly, "I'll help you." He nodded accepting whatever help he could get. Even if it did come from a small child.

"Sure, but we need soup and all of that other stuff. Here, let's make a list." They sat next to each other and wrote their shopping list. _Yeah_, he thought sarcastically. _Shopping._

Hermione shivered as she pulled the blankets tighter around herself. She had mentally compiled a list of several possibilities as to what she and Draco were dealing with, but she needed her books to be sure. These were not normal witches and wizards, they were advanced in magic she wasn't familiar with. She shivered again, this time more violently. Her teeth started to chatter and her body started to tremble. This was more then just her body responding to magic, she thought just as her world went black, and she drifted off to sleep.


	11. Doodle bug

"_**These were not normal witches and wizards, they were advanced in magic she wasn't familiar with. She shivered again, this time more violently. Her teeth started to chatter and her body started to tremble. This was more then just her body responding to magic, she thought just as her world went black, and she drifted off to sleep."**_

Draco thanked Merlin four times while he and Maggie shopped. The first time was when he picked the wrong soup. "No. Mum gets the one with the fat noodles!" she yelped as she stepped down from the side of the cart. "Here, this one looks like the kind she gets," she told him as she handed over a can.

The situation was the same with picking out bread, milk and medication. The most heartfelt 'thank you Merlin,' moment was the medication. While he stared at the wall of cold and flu medication, he felt a cold sweat cross his back. All he wanted was something that would help her feel better until whatever was in her system worked itself out. When he turned around and looked at the wall of pain relievers for the fifth time, Maggie tugged on his shirt.

"Yes doodle bug?" he said. Looking down, he saw her scrunched up face. He grinned. "What's with that face? You swallow a doodle bug?" he turned around and pointed at a colorful box, "That one is for doodle bug exposure." Maggie shook her head.

"Doodle bug? I'm not a bug. I'm a Jess."

"Well, you've been doodling on our list every chance you get. You're small, so you're my little doodle bug."

Maggie shrugged, bored with the conversation already. "Ask the guy in the white coat. Mum asks when she's not sure." Draco looked at the Pharmacist behind the counter.

"Are you sure you're four and not forty?"

"Why do people ask that? Uncle Harry asked me the other day." Draco looked down at the big watery brown eyes looking up at him. _She __is __serious,_ he thought. He crouched down so he was at eye level with her.

"Because you are wiser then any four year old. Never, never feel bad for being smarter then everyone else. You hear me?" Draco lifted her chin so she looked at him. "Never, young lady. Trust me when I tell you your mum was teased in the worst way, but she held her chin up and walked away most times. It's just jealousy." He waited for her to nod before standing up and leading the way to the line for the pharmacist.

"What did my mum do when she didn't walk away?" Maggie asked after a couple of minutes.

"What?"

"You said mum walked away most times, what did she do when she didn't?" Draco reached up and held his nose remembering that dreadful day.

"Once she batted me on the nose, the other times would be best discussed at home."

Maggie spun around and tugged on his shirt, motioning him down to her. He crouched down again, letting her look at his nose.

"Still swear it's not straight. See there," he said pointing. Maggie poked the spot then grinned. Proud of her mother.

Draco stood back up and inwardly smiled. _Granger better watch out. Maggie might be the first child of two Gryffindors to be sorted into S__l__ytherin. No Gryf would grin so evilly._

Draco listened while Maggie talked and blew bubbles non-stop as they walked up to the apartment building. "And then Grandmum said 'No you don't, little lady!' but I jumped and Uncle George caught me. I told her I wanted to know what flying was like. Not my fault, she wouldn't let him take me flying."

Draco shook his head. He felt like wringing her little neck for such a stunt.

"Doodle bug, I agree and disagree. One, you shouldn't have done that, it was very dangerous." He tisked her when her mouth dropped open. "Wait. But I do not agree that it would have been too dangerous for you to have a short flight with George."

"See, even you agree with me," she said before blowing more bubbles.

"No, not completely. As much as I hate to say it out loud, I half agree with your grandmum."

Draco shivered, knowing he had just said he agreed with a Weasley. Dear Merlin, what was the world coming to? Draco opened the door and let Maggie in first. They walked up the stairs in silence until they found Bob standing on the landing, reading a piece of mail.

"Oi, you're holding up the line," Draco teased. Bob flipped Draco the bird, not looking up. His head shot up when Maggie gasped.

"That's naughty," she informed Draco. Smiling at Bob, he nodded.

"Shit. No shh, crap. Aw, darn it. Sorry kid," stared at Maggie and relaxed.

"Spitting image of your mother," he said before taking some bags from Draco. "What year is it?"

Draco looked up confused.

"Year?"

"Well yeah. Just wondering how long I was sleeping, cuz ya got a kid now and I'm pretty sure when I went to sleep ya didn't."

"Jess, this is Bob. Bob, Jess. She's visiting, she still lives across the pond. Long story," Draco said as he opened the door to the apartment. He led the way to the kitchen so everyone could drop off groceries.

Once he had Maggie set up with cartoons in the living room, he returned to Bob in the kitchen.

Bob handed Draco a soda and leaned against the counter. "So what's the story?"

Draco cursed to himself. What kind of story was he going to come up with, that was believable, that would explain a child that neither he nor Hermione had spoken about?

"Jess is from a prior marriage. Then Anna met me. Life got un-child-friendly. Jess stays with a friend of Anna's back in England." Draco stopped unpacking, can of soup in hand. He looked over at Bob, who listened. "It kills Anna every day that she and I are in this situation. All she wants is a house, white fence, lots of kids and a dog. I can't give her that, not now." Draco's chest tightened with the confession. "She...they deserve so much better than this. Than me," he sighed as he resumed putting the cans away.

"Life is full of tests brother. Every day is a new test."

Draco laughed sadly. "I cheated on many of my tests in school. Don't think that'll work now," Draco looked over his shoulder and saw Bob shake his head.

"Nope, just honest hard work." Bob stood up straight and pulled a soup pan from the cupboard. "No worries man, it'll work out in the end. Trust me," he told Draco as he handed over the pan. "I have many more years of marriage over you. Trust me."

Draco nodded and he pulled the top off the soup. He stared at it now. This was as far as he as ever got before Hermione would take over. He looked up at Bob who rolled his eyes.

"She still on the whole 'I ban you from the kitchen!' wagon?" Draco nodded. "Alright. Dump the can into the pan." Draco spooned the soup in and waited.

"Fill the can with water, then put the pan on the stove. I'll turn the stove on so she can't get mad," he said with a chuckle. Bob instructed him to slowly stir the soup, before he left for the living room to watch SpongeBob with Jess. Draco did as directed, completely forgetting what had happened last night, and the meter long parchment-worth of questions he had for him.

Maggie sat on the couch giggling at Sandy Cheeks and Patrick Star. Patrick made some some remark about a place called Texas and Sandy _really_ didn't like it. She looked up and saw the tall man named Bob walk in. He was smiling and drinking a pop. He sat down and started watching the telly with her.

"Sandy is my favorite. Second to Plankton of course. I love rooting for the underdog." Maggie shook her head.

"No, he is naughty just like Mr. Krabs. My favorite is SpongeBob and then Gary."

"What? The snail?"

"Yep. Isn't he cute?" Maggie smiled and leaned against the arm of the couch.

Bob looked toward the kitchen door, then back at Maggie. "So I heard your mum is sick?"

Maggie looked down at her lap, sad. "Yeah."

"So what's going on?"

Maggie hesitated. She knew not to talk about magic, their real names, or about why her mum and Mister Draco were here. "Just sick."

Bob leaned closer. "Psst," he motioned for her to move closer. "I know your mum and _James_ are wizards, don't worry about any secrets, okay." Maggie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mum got sick from magic they think."

"Yeah? " Maggie nodded. Draco walked into the living room with bottle of Gatorade in his hand.

"Taking that in to Anna?" Bob asked. Draco nodded. "And who is minding the soup?" Draco cursed.

"No one," he replied.

"And isn't that how you ruined a tea kettle?" Draco nodded and handed over the bottle before stomping back into the kitchen.

Bob left to take her mum the bottle, promising that he would show her something cool when he got back.

Draco was using the ladle to serve up bowls of chicken soup when he heard Maggie beg Bob to do it again. His brows crunched together, wondering what Bob was doing to get so much giggling and excitement from Maggie.

"You can't tell," Bob said, 'I don't want your mum and dad to be mad.' Maggie got to her knees, staring at him,

"Why would they be mad?" she asked.

"Only because I didn't let them see," he replied.

"But why did you let me see?"

"Because you," he said, smiling, "are special."

Draco walked into the living room to find Maggie on the couch watching Bob. Bob was standing behind the couch grinning.

Bob noticed Draco and looked back to Maggie.

"Hey kiddo, soup is up! Better get your hands washed." Maggie nodded her head and took off to the kitchen.

Draco watched Maggie leave, waiting for the water to run before turning his attention to Bob.

"What was going on?" he asked.

Smiling, Bob shook his head.

"Just showing little miss a trick. Take care brother. I'm sure the little lady will be up and running in no time."

Bob waved at Draco before leaving. Maggie skipped into the room, showing her clean hands.

"Ma-um Anna? What was Bob doing that was so funny?" Maggie smiled, but shook her head.

"It was just a little trick. Let's go eat." Maggie followed Draco into the bedroom, so they could all eat together. Maggie had seen some pretty cool things, but Mister Bob was by far the neatest.

Draco and Maggie left Hermione to sleep after they had eaten and visited. Hermione didn't bring up any of her suspicions when Draco asked. She didn't want to talk about it in front of Maggie. So now they were watching the telly, eating grapes and waiting for Ginny to show up again. Once the sun set, Draco started to worry. Ginny was still not there, and now he needed to think about putting Maggie to bed.

"Doodle bug, what time do you go to sleep?" Maggie, who was lying on her side, resting her head on the arm of the couch, slowly sat up and looked at the clock. She hmm'ed and tilted her head.

"I don't know. Mum and Grandmum have a special clock for me. It tells me. This one doesn't."

Draco nodded, he had one of those too when he was little. He looked at the sleepy eyed little girl. He could see she was fighting to stay awake. He groaned and cursed himself. He should have known better then to keep Maggie up so late.

"Come on Doodle bug, let's get you washed up for bed."

Maggie shook her head and crunched her face up. She kicked her feet and wailed that she wasn't tired. She didn't want to go to bed.

Draco was taken aback. This was the last thing he would have expected from her. He grinned once he got over the shock that Mini Granger was having a fit. "Okay, no sleeping, but let's wash and um...read a book?"

Again he was shocked at how fast the waterworks stopped. She smiled and jumped off the couch, racing to the bathroom. "Huh, books as a bribe. Good to know," he murmured before standing up and following Maggie.

He supervised as she washed her face, stood outside the door as she used the toilet, and chuckled when he saw her drowning in one of his shirts.

"It's too big. Maybe one of mum's will fit better?"

"I'm not rummaging through your mum's clothes. She kind of banned me from her side of the closet."

Maggie looked up at him, hands on hips Molly Weasley style. "You sure get banned from a lot of stuff."

"Yep, naturally it's all based on misunderstandings and situations that were not my own fault."

"Um-hm," she followed up with, before asking which book he was going to read to her. He let her pick and stared at her slack-jawed when she handed over one of her mum's Jane Austen books.

"Austen?"

"Yep."

"Really?"

"Yep." Draco shrugged made his way to the spare room. He pulled the desk chair over to the bed and waited until she was all situated before reading. Before too long Draco had read forty pages of Emma, and the young child was asleep. He stood and stretched, thinking that sleeping sounded pretty good to him.

He heard the all too familiar sound of someone popping in, and quickly walked to the living room to find a very irritated and tired Ginny.

"'Bout bloody time," he sneered. "I just got her asleep. Don't you dare think you're waking her now."

"Oh shut up," she snapped as she tossed a roll of paper at him. "Read that and just try to explain _that_ to me." Draco caught the paper and unrolled it. He felt a heavy weight come to rest on his shoulders as he sat down reading. "There is something very odd happening here. I admit it. Hell I even bloody approved you to come out here and investigate, but now this is bigger then just some wizards abducting muggles for a few hours or days and popping them back into their lives, with no memory of what happened. Two muggles dead. Two. The locals said that they can account for the rest of the people who were missing last night and this morning, except for one. I'm sure the death total will be three. Look at the photos, tell me if any of them look familiar."

Draco looked, and felt anger and rage rush through his veins. Every one of them had been at the club last night. He saw the picture of the two men that Latisha had been fucking, he found the pictures of the two people that he and Hermione had watched. All of them were there last night.

"I saw them all at the club last night. We were right in the thick of it before we left."

Ginny hit the back of the couch in frustration. "Why the hell did you leave then? This could have all been avoided. You could have caught those wizards red-handed and alerted the Aurors. This could all have been done by now. Now we have two, maybe three, dead muggles!"


	12. Mildly humping the pillow

**A/N...TheRimmerConnection did a great job betaing, but I dabbled afterward and didn't send back for her to review, so I might have a couple of little boo boos. Also, don't be shocked it chapter take a little longer to be posted over the next month. Family holiday yippie!**

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_**Previously... Hermione rolled over and reached for the bottle of Gatorade that Bob brought her. She uncapped it and took the last slip. As she laid her head back on her pillow, she heard Ginny's voice. Her eyes flickered open and she sat up. She slowly made her way into the living room, where Ginny was leaning against the back of the couch. Draco stared at a long roll of parchment, worried. **_

_**

* * *

**_

"Hey," she said, leaning against the wall. Draco shot up and was by her side before Ginny.

"What are you doing? You should be in bed," Draco scolded. Ginny nodded, agreeing with Draco.

"You've been pretty ill today," Ginny said, sliding her arm under Hermione's, "You should be in bed resting."

The two walked Hermione to the couch when she resisted going back to the bedroom. Draco stayed at her side while Ginny went to the kitchen to get drinks.

"Where's baby girl?" Hermione asked. Draco slid an arm around Hermione, hoping to warm her and ease her shivering. She rested her head on his shoulder naturally.

"Doodle bug is sleeping in the spare room." Hermione looked up, right eyebrow arched.

"Doodle bug?" Draco nodded. "And have you called her that to her face?"

"Yes, and she doesn't mind." He looked toward the hallway. "She'll be smarter then you were in school. She's a real Einstein that one."

Hermione laid her head back down. "Yes she is. I have a feeling she's brighter then I was at her age. I spoke to a nursery for advanced children, but I'm wondering if that means she'll start magic earlier." Draco opened his mouth, but she sat up, shaking her head. "I know it's improbable, but I just get this feeling. I can't explain it." She sighed and slouched back. "It's nothing. All parents think their child is the brightest, fastest and far better than all the others."

But Hermione didn't dare say anything about the little odd things she'd noticed at times. Cookies on the counter, when she would have sworn she put them up on the top shelf; or toys that she put away because they were broken, then found in Maggie's toy box fixed and like new. Just hinting at the idea that Maggie could already be controlling magic, sounded crazy now that she said it out loud. She was probably just over-stressed as a single mum.

"Pumpkin, you're tired and not feeling well. Let's talk about it all tomorrow."

Ginny walked in with three teas, milk and sugar. Once it was all placed on the coffee table, Ginny fixed Hermione's tea as Hermione read the scroll.

Hermione sipped her tea then looked at Ginny. "If I hadn't been, um, ill last night, we would have been there. This is my fault, but I won't let it happen again." Hermione wiped a tear from her cheek. Draco opened his mouth to protest, but she gave him a look that told him to keep quiet.

"Okay. Look, it's late and I'm tired. May I crash here tonight?" Ginny asked. Draco spoke first, telling her she was always welcomed. He stood and helped Hermione up. Once Ginny had her by the arm, he retrieved the spare set of bedding from the guest room. He set up the couch and lay down. It was going to be a long night. He already knew there was no way he was going to sleep. Not only was he alone on the couch, when he wanted to be in bed next to Hermione, but he was worried about the one missing muggle.

Maggie's face was the first thing Draco saw that morning.

"Morning doodle bug," he said with a stretch. He took an inventory of himself, hoping he hadn't stripped down to his pants in the night. Maggie looked at him as he patted under the covers.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Feeling what I'm wearing," he answered honestly. He knew there was no point in trying to lie. Not to Maggie.

"You have an undershirt, socks and underpants." Draco stopped mid-pat and looked up at the child. He felt the flush creep up his chest and reach his neck.

"And how do you know?" he asked as he sat up, wrapping himself tighter in the blanket.

Maggie scooted off of the arm of the couch on to the seat. "Your blanket was on the floor and you were hugging a pillow. Why do you sleep like that? You had your leg –"

"Breakfast!" Hermione said, interrupting Maggie before she could finish her question. Maggie shot off the couch and ran to the kitchen.

Draco looked up, and saw Hermione looking healthy. He also noticed the blush across her cheeks.

"Morning," she said, still grasping for something to say.

"Morning. I'm thinking I might have been doing something, um…" Hermione snickered. Draco stopped trying to talk; he just sat there staring at the floral pattern on the blanket.

"No worries, it wasn't that bad."

"Just tell me," he asked, "I want to be able to look her in the eyes again."

"You might have been mildly humping the pillow you were hugging." Draco groaned. He didn't feel sticky in his pants, so that was good. "I re-covered you and that made you roll over. Then you snored," she said as she turned around. "Get dressed and come eat."

Draco nodded, collected his clothes and made his way to the bathroom.

He tilted his head under the spray of the water. While the water's noise isolated him from the world around him, he entertained what it would be like to have Hermione and Maggie in his life.

He would Floo home from work at the Ministry, he would change jobs, naturally, taking the head position in the department. Hermione would be at the family table with Maggie working on her studies. He grinned, imaging a pregnant Hermione. Yeah, a couple of kids sounded nice. He added a toddler in a high chair with blocks to the mental image and made Maggie older. Hermione smiles and holds out her arms, welcoming him home. Dinner she made would be warming in the oven. She would make food the Muggle way, without the help of house-elves. He would sneer and she would glare at him with her hands on her hips whenever he would bring up having the elves cook and clean. Smiling he straightened himself from the spray and reached for the soap.

As he washed, he thought of the downsides: their children would be Malfoys and they would be outcasts. They would endure the same glares and whispers that he received. They wouldn't be truly trusted by the Wizarding world. Yes, he had a good job at the Ministry. Yes he was offered the head posting in the department, but people still looked at him sideways, still double-checked him and still wondered 'Is he still a follower of You-Know-Who?'

He snapped out of the daydream. Sure, he was living comfortably, money-wise, but he was still remembered as a wannabe Death Eater. As a son of a Death Eater. Not in his lifetime would that change. Not in his children's, if he had any, would it change either. He wouldn't let himself think of it again. It didn't matter how much he wanted a family of his own, he couldn't do that to them. He wouldn't cause them the heartache of being social pariahs because of what his father did. And what he had done.

Hermione sat down at the table and sipped her tea. She listened to Maggie tell her about her and Draco's adventure shopping. She thought it all sounded wonderful, but worried slightly about the bond that they were forming. Ginny woke early and left for home, promising to return mid-morning with her books. Hermione wanted to spend as much time with Maggie as possible. She needed to make up for the time she had been gone. Maggie sipped her juice and smiled at her.

"Mum."

"Yes dear?"

"Does James have a family?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Just wondering. Does he have a wife and kids?"

"No. But he still has his mum." Maggie nodded, then got up and dropped her dishes in the sink. Draco walked in and made himself a plate. He sat down and started eating, trying to get his thoughts straight.

"Mum was talking about taking me sightseeing. You have to come. It's going to be so much fun." Draco looked up and caught Hermione's eyes, which were telling him to say yes. He should have said no and could have, but he looked at Maggie's big browns, and 'yes' just popped out.

Late that night, Draco sat in the Lazy-boy while Hermione sat on the couch reading her books. She feverishly flipped pages, desperately seeking her answers. Draco saw the bottle of bubbles that Maggie had forgotten and felt a pang in his heart. How could he have fallen for the child in such a short time?

"I've narrowed it down, but I'm not sure." Hermione reached for another book and started flipping pages.

"Narrowed what down? Why do you refuse to clue us in?" Hermione shook her head.

"Not yet. I may not even be right, and if that's so then I don't want us missing something and getting in a mess. I don't want us to narrow our minds. We have to stay wide-eyed."

"If you would stop being a pain and just clue us in, we could help." He stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm calling it a night."

"Night," she muttered. He rolled his eyes and made his way to the spare room. He convinced himself that he needed space from Granger. He needed to be able to walk away when this was all done and not look back.

Two days later Hermione was back at work and Draco was back at his bar stool. The past two days all they had done was bicker and piss each other off. Hermione was leaning on the counter talking to a guy who she had just served a beer, and it was driving Draco mad. Latisha walked by and smiled. She gave him a little finger wave and turned up the sexual tension when she blew him a kiss. He watched her sashay to the far end of the bar, his eyes focusing on her hips and arse. A hand clapped his shoulder firmly sending a jolt of panic through his chest. He looked and found Bob grinning at him. "Hey there, long time no see."

"Hey Bob," Draco muttered, sitting down relieved. "How you doing?"

"Pretty good. Looks like you and the missus are on the outs." Draco just nodded. Bob solemnly nodded. Bob looked toward the far end of the bar, watching Latisha for a moment. "Well hell. I think I gotta remind you two what you seem to be forgetting," he said in a stern voice. He waved Hermione over and looked back and saw Marc. He waved him over and motioned him to stand by Hermione.

"What's up?" Hermione asked, looking at Marc and Draco. Draco shrugged and Marc looked just as clueless.

"I'm going to reaffirm your vows." Draco and Hermione both looked at Bob in a mild shock.

"No. No no no no," Hermione pleaded. She looked at Draco, begging him with her eyes to agree with her.

Draco saw the pleading look, but whether it was wanting to do it just to piss her off, or the liquor talking, he told Bob "That's a bloody fantastic idea."

Bob walked around the bar and washed his hands. He came back with a glass of water and set it on the counter. He motioned for Hermione to stand next to Draco and for Marc to stand behind them.

"I haven't married anyone for such a long time, let's just hope I remember the words." Bob chuckled and proceeded.

"James, this is really _not a good idea_," she whispered into his ear. He waved it off.

"Shh, Bob is starting." Draco turned his attention back to Bob, and Hermione followed suit. She felt like she had no choice. If she told Draco why she thought this was a bad idea, it could ruin everything. Especially if she was wrong.

"In front of this witness and these people, I stand here to join this man and this woman together. From the dawn of time man and woman were to join and bind together. Since Lilith and Adam, you've been meant to join." Bob turned to Draco. "You man, do you take this woman here before you to be yours. Do you vow to put her before you? Do you vow to protect, honor, love and be faithful to her, until the last breath leaves your earthly body?" Draco nodded.

"I do vow." Bob cheerfully nodded and turned to Hermione. "You woman, do you take this man here before you to be yours. Do you vow to put her before you? Do you vow to protect, honor, love and be faithful to him, until the last breath leaves your earthly body?"

Hermione's heart beat painfully in her chest. She couldn't say no, it could blow their cover.

"I do vow," she said with a shaky voice. Bob smiled and nodded.

"Here in front of me and these witnesses, I accept and acknowledge your vows. Here drink this water and be blessed." Draco accepted the glass and drank half of the water. He handed over the glass and Hermione finished it. Bob and Marc congratulated them and hugged them both.

"Now go home Anna, I'm giving you the rest of the night off to consummate. Again and again and again," Marc said chuckling. Hermione's face reddened, but she nodded and left to get her things, not seeing Latisha seething in the corner.

On the bus ride home, both were silent. When they entered the apartment she heard the roll of thunder. Cursing the weather she flinched. She really didn't want to rely on Draco tonight.

"Come here my wife," Draco teased. "Aww come here. We're newlyweds, we're supposed to at least cuddle on the wedding night." Hermione nodded. Yep, they were newlyweds.

The storm severely increased, knocking the power out.

"Crap. Come on, let's get to bed and ride it out." Draco said as he walked her to the room. They lay in bed, Draco holding Hermione as he hummed his favorite songs and nursery lullabies to her.

When she fell asleep, Draco kissed her forehead and told himself that today he had enjoyed having a fake wedding with Hermione. He kissed his 'bride' once more before letting himself fall asleep, not noticing that the storm quit just as fast as it started.


	13. Unfortunate events

Hermione was sleeping on her right side in bed. She felt a firm, warm body behind her, holding her close and sensually touching her breast. Sleepily she moaned softly, arching her back to push her breast into the hand. She heard a dreamy, manly groan behind her. Draco snaked his right arm under Hermione's head, bending it to carry on with what the left hand had been doing, while her head came to a rest on his bicep. Slowly his left hand drifted down her side, slowly reaching thighs. As Hermione's nipple hardened, Draco's massage turned to a focused pinching and rolling of it. She moaned again, enjoying the sensation, then felt Draco's fingers draw teasing lines up and down her leg, slowly moving to the inside of her thighs.

She pushed her butt into his groin, giving his hand better access. Draco's erection pressed into her buttocks. The feeling sent waves of arousal from her toes to the top of her head. Neither of them dared open their eyes, fearing that act would ruin the perfect moment.

In a dreamy state, they removed each other's clothing, focusing on feeling and hearing each other. When they reached their orgasms together, it wasn't a mind blowing, earth shattering event, but a calm and gentle wave into one another. Dreamily they held each other as their bodies calmed and gracefully drifted back into a deep slumber.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She wiggled, feeling warm, naked arms around her.

"Morning," she heard.

She looked up and behind her. "Morning."

"You want to stay in bed or go out for breakfast?" Draco asked with his eyes still shut. Hermione thought about it. She remembered the events of her erotic dream, connecting the dots; she concluded that it wasn't a dream. That conclusion made the memory of the, most likely real, marriage flood back. She rolled over and open-handedly hit Draco on the side of his back. He hissed a curse as he squirmed away from her.

"What the bloody hell was that for!" he asked as he tried to rub the perfectly reddening hand print. Hermione sat up and pulled the sheets around her. She watched Draco give up trying to rub the spot she had hit, before settling for laying on a pillow to soothe the pain. "Shit that stings," he whined.

"Good. It was meant too. What the hell happened last night?"

Draco opened his mouth but snapped it shut. _Rhetorical question,_ he thought, since Hermione was continuing.

"Honestly, are you that thick? I glared at you to say no, but you bloody well said yes. Why did you agree to having Bob do that! No, shut it. I don't want to hear your excuses," she hissed, seeing Draco open his mouth again. "Don't you see that there is something seriously off here? There is something not right and we're completely overlooking it. I seriously think we _are married._" She let out a huff of air and sat there, willing herself to calm down.

Draco stared at her trying to decide whether she was completely crazy or if he should believe her. He sat up and scooted back so he could lean against the headboard. Hermione's eyes flickered down for a moment and Draco watched her cheeks blush as she quickly looked away.

"Would you please cover yourself?" she asked.

Draco looked down and grinned. He lazily reached for the blanket, listening to her mumble to herself 'Even after being slapped on the back, he still has a massive morning erection. Merlin help me.'

"So why do you think we're married? I don't remember any wands or signing any papers. We can't practice magic."

"It's how we did it and what we said. As I have already said, there is something odd here. I don't think Bob and Latisha are muggles." Draco looked at Hermione skeptically.

"What?" Hermione pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded.

"Think about it. Haven't you noticed anything odd about them? Latisha sucks the energy out of me when ever we go out together. Bob touches me for just a few moments and I'm so energetic, I could go for days. Don't you think that's odd? Haven't you noticed how they interact with people at the bar? How people are drawn to Latisha like moths to a light?"

Draco shrugged. "So she attracts people. She's very attractive and she spends a good amount of time half naked." Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course she'll attract people to her." Hermione shook her head

"You're not seeing it. Don't look so close, pull back and look at the big picture. Something is off."

Draco thought about what Hermione had said that morning about Bob and Latisha, but his thoughts kept circling back to her statement about being married for real. His mind was stuck on that and he didn't know what to think about it.

Did he want to be married to Granger? Was it a positive thing? Would doodle bug want him to be her new father? Would he be a good father? Would Granger want him to be doodle bug's father? He ran his hand through his hair and sat back in his chair. He had left the flat after giving Hermione her message from Marc, telling her that he had switched her and Latisha's hours, so she was closing up the bar tonight. Hermione was less then pleased, when he told her, and mumbled as she walked back to the bedroom to take a nap. He had decided that spending the evening out of the flat would be a good thing. He couldn't stand being so close to her while he was so confused.

He looked at his watch and sighed. He had so much time to burn. He stood and made his way to the coffee counter again. He ordered the daily special and while he waited for his drink, he watched the other people in the store.

He could see how Hermione liked this store. He wondered who Barnes and Noble were. Were they real people? Muggles? Wizards? Squibs? Did these mystery people even like reading? He took a slow breath in through his nose, enjoying the coffee, tea, baked goods, and new-book smell. He heard his name called and once he'd had his drink, he made his way into the book section of the store.

Draco found himself sitting on a oversized chair slowly flipping through a book about gardening. He reached for his coffee, finding it empty. He rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. _Well, let's face the music_, he thought. He stood up and made his way to the bar.

Draco walked in, nodded at Bob who was dealing with a couple of rowdy guys, and made his way to 'his seat'. He saw that Hermione was busy behind the bar. Busy night, yippie! At least he really didn't need to deal with anyone.

Draco sat and slowly drank his beer. He watched Hermione work her bum off. He also noticed how she seemed to keep an eye on Latisha and Bob while she worked. He looked out to the dance floor and watched Latisha himself. He felt a desire to get up and walk over to where she was dancing. He wanted to slowly run his hands up and down her waist and kiss every bit of her exposed skin. He closed his eyes and listened to the music, hoping the issues in his pants would calm down. He felt a gentle squeeze on his shoulder. His eyes shot open and he looked to the left. He found Latisha smiling coyly at him.

"Hey there. I have a super big fav to ask of you," she said as she shifted her weight to one leg. She rested her hand on her hip and bit her lip.

"And that is?" Draco asked, hoping Bob would show up soon. Since the day Bob had given his whole 'you stay away from my woman' speech, he had tried to, but at times like this, it was difficult.

"Well, Bobby has to work till closing and well, I just hate going home alone. Would you be my knight in shining armor and escort me home?"

Draco sat up straight and looked for Bob. He heard Latisha giggle. "Did Bob give you that silly 'Dontchya be touching or talking to my wife' talk?" she said mimicking Bob. "Sweetie, don't worry about him." She sighed and leaned against the bar. "Just think what he would do, if you didn't take me home and something happened to me," she added. Draco's eyes snapped at her. _Such a Slytherin move,_ he thought.

"Fine."

Hermione watched Draco leave with Latisha and it made her feel ill. There was nothing she could do to prevent it. He was a big boy and she could only hope nothing bad happened.

When it was closing time, Bob walked over to the bar looking tired.

"You need a soda to perk you up for little while?" she asked. He pulled up a stool and sat on it.

"I'll be up all damn night if I do." He looked around, his eyebrows crinkling. "Where's your husband?"

Hermione swallowed, getting nervous.

"Draco escorted Latisha home. I'm assuming he decided to just stay home instead of bussing it back over here." She watched the scarlet rise from his neck to his ears. _Oh he's pissed,_ she thought.

"When you done here?" he asked, cracking his neck.

"Now." He nodded

"In that case, I'll return the favor your husband did for me by ensuring_ you _make it home safely."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the television on. She slid the key in and opened the door. She noticed Bob look in and see Draco sitting on the couch. He nodded and she could see the relief in his eyes. He gave a little nod and bade her a good night.

She entered and slowly took her shoes off. "Have a good night?" she asked. Draco tensed and looked at her with guilty eyes.

"What?" Hermione pointed at the television and motioned for him to turn the volume down. She waited until he had done it, then asked him again, "What?"

He took a long sip of his beer before he spoke.

"It's okay."

She nodded and made her way to the bathroom. As she showered she thought of how awkward Draco had become with her now.

_He is probably worried about the marriage issue. It's obvious that he's in a state about it. Probably thinking that I am excited to be his wife and already have a list a meter long of fancy stuff to buy,_ she thought. She heard some rumbling, and groaned. How could one place be so prone to thunderstorms?

She quickly finished her shower and dressed. Just as she stepped out of the bathroom she heard a crack of lightning and seconds later a violent rumble of thunder that shook the building. She sucked in a breath and quickly walked to the living room to look out of the window.

"Was it spitting when you came home?" Draco asked her. Surprised that he had said a full sentence to her, she shook her head.

"Clear and dry. Not a cloud in the sky."

Draco pulled her close and wrapped her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and forced herself not to flinch when the next crack and rumble rolled through. She did flinch, however, at the violent pounding on the flat door.

Draco tensed, but let her go. His head was low as he walked over, but he raised it and squared his shoulders when he opened the door. Hermione was surprised to find a very angry Bob on the other side.

"Step aside," Bob said through his teeth. Draco shook his head. "Damn it boy, I said step aside!"

"Why?" Draco asked in the same tone. Bob didn't answer, he just pushed Draco to the side. Hermione yelled at Bob, but he walked straight for her as Draco slowly stood.

"What the hell is going on?" Hermione demanded to know as she walked away from Bob.

"You need to come with me," Bob said as he followed her around the apartment.

"Not until you tell me what this is about," she argued, placing the Lazy-Boy between her and Bob. Bob shook his head.

"I told him. I warned him, I swear. He didn't listen." Bob stepped around the chair and with the speed of a cobra, he reached out and grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry," he said as he pulled her toward the door.

"You're not going anywhere with her. You leave her out of this!" Draco yelled, trying to block the doorway. The storm outside intensified and shook the whole building. Hermione's heart bounded in her chest. She was fighting to keep her breaths normal, but she could feel the light-headedness start.

"This is entirely your fault!" Bob bellowed before shoving Draco aside with one arm. Hermione fought harder, clawing and hitting Bob.

"No. Let me go!" she pleaded, but Bob continued to force her out of the door and down the steps.

He pulled her along like she was a toddler throwing a fit. She tried to grab on to the railing, but he just tugged and she lost her grip. They had reached the main landing when Draco got them in sight again. Bob turned to look at Draco when he reached the main door.

"Come back here you son of a bitch! Let her go!" Draco yelled. Bob shook his head and flicked his hand.

Draco flew back into the air and landed half way up the stairs. Hermione screamed, desperately fighting to free herself.

"Your fault, you remember that. This is your entire fault boy!" Bob roared. Hermione could feel each word vibrate thought her body as she covered her ears.

Draco fought the invisible force that held him to the stairs. The moment it released him, he slid, then rolled down the stairs. He was sure that he had a broken rib, but he fought though the pain and ran out of the door. He found Hermione and Bob in the middle of the eerily deserted street. Bob turned at looked at him. Draco ran to them, no plan in mind besides getting Hermione. Bob shook his head as he pulled Hermione in front of him. Hermione yelled for Draco to stay away, to get help, but he didn't hear her. His eyes were fixed on Bob. Bob, it was obvious to him now, was no muggle.

"All you had to do was be a faithful husband. To love her, to honor her! Just last night you vowed your life to her! All you had to do was be a good husband! This is all your doing!" Bob said as Draco's eye's widened and he skidded to a stop. He saw large black wings stretch out from Bob's back. Hermione screamed as the black feathers wrapped around her, enveloping her and Bob.

Draco ran toward them again, hands out-reached. "Hermione!" he yelled. Hermione's face disappeared behind the black wing, but his eyes connected with Bob's. Bob held Draco's eyes until he was gone. Draco screamed "No!" when they disappeared with a small sonic boom. The force sent Draco back into the air, landing on his back on the curb. He slowly rolled to his side and sat up.

Looking at the spot in the road where Hermione had been just a few seconds ago, Draco felt his world crumble. He stood up and screamed Hermione's name as he dropped to his knees.


	14. History lesson

**Big thanks to The RimmerConnection and all of the readers, reviewers, alerters and favoriters for following the story. It means a lot and it very encouraging. I'm also very sorry for the problems I've had this evening uploading this chapter, HOPEFULLY, when you read this, its correctly laid out.**

**Now, I smile and sinisterly laugh. Muhha ha ha...Enjoy**

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_Previously..._

**Looking at the spot in the road where Hermione had been just a few seconds ago, Draco felt his world crumble. He stood up and screamed Hermione's name as he dropped to his knees.**

Hermione was in a state. Not only was she dealing with a horrid thunderstorm, but she had just been just kidnapped. Well, witch-napped. Light-headed from hyperventilating, she clung to Bob's arm for dear life. Her vision was still blackened due to Bob's large wings and that was making her head worse.

"Shh, calm down darling. Deep breaths," Bob encouraged. She shook her head frantically.

"I-can't-let-don't-let-go-" she managed as she gasped for air. Bright light blinded her until her eyes adjusted. She looked around and saw that they were in the bar. Bob moved into her vision, concerned.

"Come on, deep breaths," he ordered before taking a deep breath himself. She looked in his eyes, trying to focused on him. He coached her to take a deep breath with him again and again, until her panic attack passed.

"Why have you taken me?" she asked stepping away from him. He held his hands up in a non-threatening way. "Why? Answer me now!"

"Calm down. Trust me, this is the best way. I'm doing this for your own good." Hermione continued to back away from Bob until the wall stopped her. She quickly changed direction and ran to place a table between them.

"How is storming into our flat and abducting me 'for my own good'?" she hissed, looking around for her exits.

"Trust me when I say, it is," Bob said, mirroring her actions, readying himself to stop her from making a run for it.

"Trust you? _Trust! You!_ Pray tell how one trusts one's abductor?" Hermione looked to her left and hoped she would be able to make it to the door if she shoved the chairs on the table at Bob.

"It won't work darling. I can't let you leave." She looked at Bob wide-eyed. _Merlin's beard. Can he really hear me?_ she thought.

"Yes," he said standing up out of his crouched attack position, "and I've never understood the whole fixation on Merlin's beard. It was rather nasty. He never cleaned it thoroughly." Hermione gasped and followed through with her plan. She shoved the chairs that sat on the table toward him and ran for the door. She felt large arms cage her in just as she grabbed the door handle. Screaming, she fought him. She was lifted into the air in a bear hug and carried over to the dance floor.

Bob roughly placed her on a chair. Hermione tried to get up but couldn't. Her throat ached when she cried out again. She shut her eyes and took a deep shaky breath. After several breaths she steeled her mind and took measure of her situation.

She was bound to the chair in such a way that it made her feel like she _was_ the chair.

Bob was rummaging through the shelves under the bar counter.

She had no clue where Draco or Latisha were.

And worst of all, she was magic- and wand-less.

Bob stood up with several whiskey glasses. He lined them up on the table he had moved next to her, and left for the back storage room. Hermione looked around, hoping to find a clue to what was going to happen. Nothing spoke to her.

Bob walked back into the room carrying a tub of something frozen, several jars of a purple liquid and a bundle of several different plants. He sat them down on the table and noticed Hermione's interest in the plants.

"You know what this one is?" he asked, holding up a plant. Hermione's nerves calmed as she focused her attention on the plant Bob held in his hand. The roots still held dirt on them, but she could see the type of root well enough. The plant was tall, perhaps one to one and a half meters. She knew what it was once he turned it, letting her see the flower.

"Paeonia suffruticosa, commonly called Peony. It's named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius the Greek god of medicine and healing. Its roots are often used for either their anti-coagulant or anti-convulsion properties."

Bob smiled. "Correct, young lady. And what about this one?" he asked as he held up a different plant. They played this game until all the plants were named. Hermione noticed many of the plants were associated with Greek gods and goddesses and often named after them. They were all old plants with many uses. She still didn't know what they had to do with her.

"Why am here? Please tell me what is happening?" Hermione begged.

Bob reached for one of the plants and carefully cleaned the root. He remained silent while he lit an oil lamp that sat on table.

"She found what she's been looking for. and you happen to be it."

"She who?" Hermione watched Bob as he skillfully peeled and thinly sliced the root. Even though she was scared for her life, she couldn't deny that she was learning from Bob. She noted how experienced his hands were as they prepared the root before placing it in the stone bowl being heated by the oil lamp.

"Latisha, my mate. She -" he sighed. "You need to understand she is just doing what she was told to do. She can't help it and neither can I." Hermione looked at him. She saw the sorrow in his eyes. She relaxed a little, knowing that he wouldn't hurt her, not on purpose.

"Can't help what? You can trust me Bob," she said calmly and bravely. Bob smile, but the smile was a mask.

"Let me guess, Gryffindor?" He looked at Hermione as she bravely nodded. She refused to let the shock and newly raised fear show.

"Aw, calm down. You were doing so well." Bob shook his head as he placed the rest of the root he had sliced in the stone bowl. "If I unbind you, will you behave and sit there. Remember, I have the upper hand. You're not getting loose until I let you go."

"But I will walk out of here, right?" Her heart thumped with hope that she would be set free.

"I will hold true to my word if you follow my instructions and do as I ask."

Hermione nodded and felt herself separate from the chair as Bob reached for a different plant. She sighed in relief as she crossed her arms over her chest. She watched in silence, not daring to bring up why she was here again. Bob snorted a chuckle.

"Fine. I'll tell you, but I want you to understand, so you're going to get a little history lesson." She nodded again.

Bob resumed cleaning and slicing. "Have you ever heard of Eros and Psyche?" Hermione nodded.

She had studied them before she attended Hogwarts. She recalled that Eros was the primordial god of sexual love and beauty. Psyche was a mortal, the youngest daughter of the king and queen of Sicily, and the most beautiful person on the island. He was tasked with fixing her with an arrow so she would fall in love with the first person, or _thing_ she set her eyes on. But instead Eros was the one who fell for her. Hermione loved their story, it was so romantic.

Bob grinned before continuing. "Yes, well. Pleased to meet you." He held out his hand. Confused, Hermione accepted his hand.

"I haven't told a soul about us in such a long time," he breathed. "It feels nice to be able to talk to someone." He turned back to the roots he had placed in the bowl and stirred them. "Well, our later story is greatly unknown. I've never seen it in any books." He snorted. "It's best I think. I like how history remembers us. We had a blessed life and I thought happy, until..." Hermione could see Bob or Eros swallow hard as he set the next plant in front of him. He started to pluck the leaves off and set them in a glass.

"We had a healthy child. A girl. Beauty like her mother. Py wanted another, a boy. We tried, even asked for a blessing from my father, but it was at too high a cost with him. I refused to let my little girl be a trade for a son. Distraught, Py fled from the mountain. I found her on the southern coast of Sicily. I saw who she was with and I ran as fast as I could. I flew as quickly as I could, but I was too late." He turned and looked at Hermione. "I'll give you the best advice I could give any person. There is one answer that you should never give when asked, 'What would you do for it?' _N__ever_ say 'Anything'. Never."

She saw the unshed tears in his eyes as he crushed the leaves.

"What did she agree to?" she whispered.

"Anything. She vowed to do anything Lilith wanted her to do, if she would giver her a son. She agreed to a succubus life with mortals and to collect the essence of anyone magically blessed she greets. All of that for a son. My wife failed to ask one question; 'For how long?'. She agreed and Lilith marked it as open ended. I cursed Lilith. Told her she had no power over her and that she was in no place to enter our world to set that deal.

But like I said, I was too late, Py had already agreed. I didn't think about my answer when she asked me what would I do to stay with her, to stay at the side of my lover. I just said-"

"Anything," Hermione gasped. He nodded.

"Yes, I said 'Anything'. I was given the joy of watching my love fulfil her tasks. I learned after a few hundred years that my father blessed me with traits that would help counter the effects of what Py does with the mortals. I try. I really do try," he stressed to Hermione. "I make sure we travel enough that we remain unknown, but I knew Chicago wasn't going to go well."

He slouched in the chair and placed his head in his hands.

"Why? How did you know? If you knew why did you do nothing?"

"Why? Because Lilith showed up and gave her final tasks that would ensure a son. I knew that such a large amount of energy from the mortals in such a short time would catch someone's attention. I knew the moment you two showed up that we were being watched."

"How? We have our magic and appearance masked!" Bob sat up and smiled.

"You can't hide our essence from us. We're from before any of your Ministries could even hold civilized conversation. I can see the real you, not this glamor you three use on everyone else."

Hermione's heart jolted. "Three?" she squeaked.

"Yes, three. _Jess,_" he said grinning. "She's the spitting image of you. She'll be one to watch in years to come. The spirit is very strong with her. It's very old, very mature. She'll be fun to watch."

"You leave her alone!" Bob held up his hands.

"Calm down. I mean her no harm. I enjoy watching life grow." His smile faded to a joyless smirk. "It soothes the pain."

Bob stopped talking and turned his full attention to the table. He pulled the hot bowl off of the oil lamp and ground the root into a power. He divided it up and placed it in the whiskey glasses that he had lined up. He handed over a leaf and motioned for her to chew it. She racked her brain for a reason why it would be harmful to her, finding none, she chewed.

Bob stood up and paced the room for what felt like thirty minutes. She felt an unnatural warmth spread across her body. She tented her shirt, flapping it several times, trying to cool herself off. Bob noticed this and ran his hands through his hair again. He walked to the bar counter and opened a small bag she hadn't seen him bring with him from the storage room.

Hermione watched him walk over to her looking like he really didn't want to do what he was going to do.

Hermione looked down to his hand and panic surged through her. She turned to get up and run, but she left her legs remould to the chair legs.

"No! No, let me go! No!" she cried out as she felt the rest of her body stiffen up to her neck.

"Please young one. Please trust me, this is the best way. If Py were to do this her way, you two would surely die as the last two did." Bob pulled up his chair and sat in front of her. He reached and took her hand in his. Hermione screamed a soundless scream.

She watched helplessly as Bob turned her hand over and exposed her wrist. He took a small cloth soaked with water and wet her. He then took one of the large spiky leaves and rubbed it into her skin. She felt a coolness spread throughout her hand and wrist.

"I wish there was a better way, but this is the safest. Trust me," he reassured her.

He re-wiped her wrist and grabbed from the table what he had taken from the bag, off the table. Hermione's cheeks were wet with her tears as she watched Bob take the ancient knife and slice the skin of her wrist. She screamed again, but her scream was heard by no-one.

Bob sliced deeper and when the thick stream of blood flowed, he took one of the glasses he had prepared and held it under her, catching every drop. He slid his fingers along the arm of the chair and transformed it to hold her arm the way he needed it, and to hold the glass. Then he turned his attention somberly back to the table. He cleaned out the stone bowl in which he had dried the root and placed the semi-frozen contents of the tube shaped container in it.

Once he had that warming on the oil lamp he turned back to Hermione. He checked on the glass then scooted closer to Hermione.

He lightly traced down the side of her face, wiping the tears with his thumbs. "Shh, it'll be okay, trust me," he whispered. He smiled and lowered his head, resting his forehead on hers. He took a deep breath and stayed there for a moment.

The focus of Hermione's fears started to shift from him bleeding her to death, to something else she didn't think she needed to be worried about.

Bob slid out of his chair and knelt on the floor in front of her. He effortlessly parted her legs and rested himself between them. He placed his arms around her waist and rested his head on her lower abdomen. There he stayed, humming and watching the glass fill.


	15. Two for the price of one

**Many thanks to 'You Know Who' for all of her hard work editing. TheRimmerConnection again has done a great job.**

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_**Previously...**_

_**The focus of Hermione's fears started to shift from him bleeding her to death, to something else she didn't think she needed to be worried about.**_

_**Bob slid out of his chair and knelt on the floor in front of her. He effortlessly parted her legs and rested himself between them. He placed his arms around her waist and rested his head on her lower abdomen. There he stayed, humming and watching the glass fill. **_

* * *

Draco stormed up the steps and pounded on Bob and Latisha's door with pure rage. Latisha swung the door open with a 'Back the fuck off' attitude, but she grinned when she saw Draco. Sliding her arm up the door, she waited seductively at the door.

"Well there's my big boy," she purred.

"Knock off that fucking shit."

"I'm going out on a limb and guessing you don't want another go?" She dropped her arm from the door and adjusted her robe to show her black lace lingerie. Slowly her hands rounded her breast and slid down to her waist. Draco felt his mood shift from blind rage to angrily horny. He felt himself move toward her and rest his hands on her hips. Hearing her purr her approval he pushed her away roughly, causing her to stumble back and bump the kitchen table.

"Where did he go?" he asked through his teeth. Irritated she stood, slowly walking toward him.

"How dare you touch me in that manner! What, am I not what you want now? You want a tall blond and not a slender African goddess?" Her long black hair transformed suddenly into long, wavy, honey-wheat locks; her flawless mocha skin into alabaster, just as flawless. Blue eyes and a curvy body finished the look. Draco stood slack jawed. "Bigger breasts?" she asked. Draco unconsciously looked, just in time to see the obvious size change. He backed up quickly, roughly hitting the closed door.

He spun around and fought to get the door open. The handle locked in place, trapping him in with her.

"Oh, let me guess. How about this?" she demanded. Draco turned and found Hermione standing there in the same black lingerie.

"What the bloody hell are you!" he yelled, his voice squeaking in panic.

Latisha cocked her hip to one side. "Well that's a bit insulting." Snorting, she turned and walked to the kitchen. Draco scrambled to the door's handle, but it was useless. He looked around for an alternative exit. He saw the fire escape outside the living room window. _Thank Merlin._

He tried the door, but again, no luck.

"You're not getting out until I'm done with you sweetie," he heard from the other room.

Pissed off, he stormed into the kitchen.

"Listen, whatever the bloody hell you are! Who do you think you are, keeping me here?" Latisha stood by the sink tapping her foot as she sipped water.

"Who do _I _think I am? Who the hell do you think _you _are? You are a insignificant dust speck in the timeline. You are _nothing_. _Nothing!_ You want to know who I am? I gave you two clues already."

Latisha shape-shifted her body. She shed her clothing, leaving just a scrap of red material around her waist to cover her pelvic area. Her height decreased, her feet now became a mixture of human and bird. Wings like a bat's grew from her back, while the tail of a serpent snaked out from her wrapping.

Draco looked at her face to find large black eyes, alabaster skin and long brown hair.

"S-s-s You're a demon. A succubus!" he shuddered out. Hermione flashed in his memory jolting him out of his shock and awe and into determined and pissed off.

"What do you want with Hermione? Where did he take her!"

Confusion crossed Latisha's face before she asked, "What?" He continued.

"Hermione! My Hermione!" He rubbed his face in frustration. "_Anna_," he tried again.

"What do you mean boy?" she sneered as well as any Malfoy could.

"Bob, your Bob took her. Where would he take her?"

Latisha stumbled back. "H-he took her?" Draco nodded. "That stupid, stupid man! That _fucking_ stupid man! He'll ruin it all!" Latisha shape shifted into her 'African goddess' form as she walked over to Draco. She grabbed his arm, digging her nails into his skin.

With a flash of black, they reappeared at the back of bar.

"EROS!" she yelled out as she stomped through the door. "Eros!" Draco had no choice but to be dragged along behind Latisha. When he fought her grip, her arm and hand enlarged. Her grip felt like metal.

When they came into the main bar, his heart nearly stopped. Hermione was sitting in a chair, looking pissed at the world, eating stew.

She looked up and gasped when she saw them. He could see her say his name, but he couldn't hear her. He felt the grip loosen on his arm. Taking the advantage, he broke free from his captor and ran toward Hermione. He got within three meters and ran into an invisible wall. He felt along the wall, trying to find a spot closer to her. It circled her and Bob. Draco found the closest spot to her and stood there, pounding it with his fists.

"Can you hear me?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded. "Are you okay? Talk to me. Tell me you're okay."

"I'm okay," she told him simply. She held the stone bowl in her hands, wrapped in a large folded bar towel. Bob had spoon fed her the stew once the first glass was filled with her blood. Spoon by spoon, she felt better and better.

"What is it?" she had asked, once he dropped the bind from the chair low enough that she could talk again.

"Old family recipe. Goat, potatoes, roots, herbs, much more." He stirred the stew before lifting a spoonful out and blowing on it. "Maybe I'll hand down the recipe to you."

Hermione nodded slightly for a lack of anything better to do.

Once Bob was satisfied that he had taken enough blood from Hermione, he had healed her wrist and let her feed herself. She knew better then to try another escape, so she did as he told her and ate.

"Has he hurt you?" Draco asked, worry written across his face.

"No, not really. He... he is trying to help, he really is."

"I was so worried about you." He shook his head, forcing his eyes to stop watering. "I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to you."

Their conversation was cut short due to Latisha and Bob's conversation, which was closer to a screaming match.

"You don't understand _Bob," _Latisha hissed. "The energy won't be the same!"

"It will be good enough. You cannot take it from her like that!"

Latisha pounded her fist on the force field. "Damn it. Come on, two for one, Eros! We'll be done. This is the one we have been waiting for. I'll be done," she finished, sounding tired.

"I know my love. You can't get it like that though. This is how you'll have to get it," he told her as he motioned to Hermione's blood in the glasses. "If we need to take a couple more mortals to make up the difference then that's what we'll do."

The tired succubus' head snapped up. "Ack. Those filthy, disgusting, disease ridden vermin? I want to be done! I want her and I want to suck every last drop of energy from them. I want them!" she screamed. Thunder rumbled, causing the building to tremble.

Bob turned his attention to Draco.

"You! If you had just stayed faithful to your mate and not fallen for my mate, you could have been protected."

Hermione looked up at Draco. Her heart sank. "Y-y-you slept with her?"

Draco's face tensed. Hearing Hermione's voice, he knew he had hurt her. He knew now that there had been a seedling of a future planted. He had just poured scalding hot water on that little plant and killed it.

Knowing that there was no point in lying to her, he only nodded his head.

Hermione turned her head away and willed herself not to cry.

_If that insufferable prick_ _cheated on you so easily__,_ _he's not worth your tears,_ she told herself. She concentrated on showing no emotion. _Be cold. Be a cold__-__hearted prick__,_ _just like him,_ she repeated and repeated to herself. She shivered from a chill. Ignoring the chill she reached for the bowl of stew, thinking that she was feeling cold because of the blood loss. Bob had told her that the stew would help her immensely. And it had.

Just as she spooned herself some, Latisha started screaming and pounding on the invisible wall with all of her might.

Hermione and Draco watched Bob shape-shift from the Bob they knew, to a large winged man.

Eros stood with his wings extended, shielding them from the blinding light beyond. The wall came down and Draco stumbled to the chair that Hermione sat in. Hermione and Draco covered their ears to protect themselves from an ear-piercing scream, before their world went black.

Draco woke up with his arms wound tightly around Hermione. He tightened his grip and hummed when she groaned. He looked around the room. They were in bed at the flat. He looked out of the window and started to think that last night hadn't happened.

_Could I have really__ dreamt_ _all of that?_ he wondered. He tightened his grip again, this time waking up Hermione. She waited until the confusion of sleep left her mind, then sat up without saying a word or acknowledging Draco. She left for the bathroom and took stock of herself. She looked at her wrist. Lightly she traced her finger over the healing cut. She knew she would scar. Forever she would have a reminder of this whole event. Well, another reminder.

Draco stood outside the door, listening to Hermione cry. A loud crack was heard from the living room. He sighed in frustration and walked off to meet whoever had just popped in.

He found Ginny, and she did not look happy.

"Good morning," she muttered as she sat on the arm of the couch. Draco crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "I have had a very informative day. Gods, succubi, sex and blood. Hmm. All we need is rock and roll and we've got a good time."

"What do you know?" questioned Draco. Ginny sighed and leaned on the back of the couch.

"Probably more than you at this point. I had a a visitor doing damage control. He informed me of this delicate matter and requested a type of 'diplomatic immunity' in the matter of what has happened to you and Hermione. Bloody hell, Draco! How did you and your department in all this time not manage to piece together that your most wanted wizards were gods!"

"No one knew," he lied. He knew that Hermione had known something was off with them.

She had questioned the fact that no one had a photo of them. Questioned why people were so drawn to Latisha. She had questioned so much and knew. _Knew_ that something was off. And he blew her off. Not only did he let his team and department down by doing that, but he let her down.

Him letting her down had almost cost her her life.

"Well, from what I've been told, Psyche, or Latisha, made a deal. She was to work as a succubus until her end of the deal was satisfied. You hit her list because you're of magical origin. Hermione hit her list for that reason as well, but she's special, Eros refused to tell me why. He just said we'll all know in due time and that he had made sure you two were safely tucked into bed before he popped over to drag me out of my morning meetings. Hermione!" Ginny gasped seeing her dear friend.

Hermione walked over and the two friends had a very tearful reunion. Draco slowly backed out of the room and walked to the bedroom to pack.

Hermione joined him after Ginny left. "Hurry to leave?" she inquired. Draco nodded.

"That desperate to get away?" Draco stood straight and sneered.

"Malfoys are never desparate, mudblood. You'll do well not to forget it," he hissed, zipping his bag. He looked around the room quickly. Satisfied that he hadn't forgotten anything, he walked past her with his bag, avoiding looking at her.

"You horrid man! How could you be like that after everything we've been through? How thick am I?" she scoffed. "I actually thought you had changed." She pulled out her wand and with a flick of the wrist her belongings were packed.

"How'd you...?" Draco squawked.

"If you had stayed, instead of hiding in here packing, Ginny could have helped you." Hermione shrunk her luggage and stormed past Draco.

He followed her into the living room and watched her drop her things into her purse. On the coffee table he saw the antidote and his wand. He walked over and picked them up. Drinking the vial he felt himself relax, feeling the magic tingle though his body.

"Did you mean any of it?" Hermione asked, referring to the intimate talk they had had. He had told her about wanting to make a go of them. About having a family, white picket fence and even a pet for Maggie. It would be pillow talk that he would never forget, no matter how hard he might want to.

Draco looked over at Hermione. She looked broken and defeated.

He had done this. Bob... Eros, was right. This was all his fault. Since they had started working together, he had brought her nothing but pain. Pain and sorrow. He took her away from her home; from her daughter. He put her in danger and almost got her killed last night. All his fault. He wondered if the rest of their lives would be like this. Him putting her and Maggie in harm's way. He already knew that it would be difficult because he was a Malfoy, but this?

No.

He would rather make a clean break and hurt her now than slowly drag out the pain.

He looked at her squarely, and with a well-trained Malfoy face he said no.

"No?" questioned the heartbroken witch.

Draco nodded. "No. None of it. Not one word was true. It was all for the job." He walked past her and into the bedroom. Hermione's heart broke as she watched the door shut.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered.


	16. Canada, Scotland and England

**Hello all, again thank you very much to The RimmerConnection for Betaing. **

**Now, just a short word. I am going to join in a 'Dark Hermione' challenge which is being held on another website, so I will ignore this story for the rest of the month. Okay not the rest of the month****,**** but for the next couple of weeks at least. Trying to write two ****stories ****at once, specially two vastly different stories, is not the easiest for me. I had Hermione killing the nurse and hexing a cab driver in a prior draft of this chapter, because I got confused. Ummm so anyhoot. Just a heads up. I will post the challenge story here too so look out for that. Thanks a bunch. Please e****n****joy minus dead nurse and hexed cabbie. **

* * *

_**Previously...**_

**"No?" questioned the heartbroken witch.**

_**Draco nodded. "No. None of it. Not one word was true. It was all for the job." He walked past her and into the bedroom. Hermione's heart broke as she watched the door shut. **_

_**"I'm pregnant," she whispered.**_

* * *

"So what are you going to do?" Ginny inquired as she poured some wine. Hermione glared at the witch, longing for a glass or three. Ginny, noticing, slowly sipped, moaning approval. "Great year. You can really taste-"

"Oh shut up," Hermione scolded as she threw her napkin. Ginny laughed, using the napkin to dab her lips. "I haven't the faintest. I want to tell him, but... Ginny, all of those feelings were false. Lies. This child was conceived in a rats' nest of lies. I can't believe one word he told me during that time."

Ginny nodded sympathetically. "So you want me to creatively word my questioning tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'll tell him, I promise. I don't want him to stay married to me just because of the baby." Hermione sighed, slouching in her chair. "I couldn't bear to even think about it. Just imagine Ginny, what if you grew up knowing that your parents only stayed together because of you. Not because they loved each other and formed you out of that love, but because of lustful lies and obligation. I can't do that."

"You don't know that he wouldn't love the child. It's blood, how could he not love his own blood?" Ginny pleaded.

"His blood mixed with mud. He wouldn't love it, no matter what he said. Deep down, he wouldn't."

Ginny sighed, watching Hermione sadly sip her tea.

"You know I won't be able to keep it quiet once you are three months gone. Any Medi-witch who examines you will immediately report the pregnancy to the Ministry." Hermione nodded.

"I know, Ginny."

"He'll find out then, you know he will."

"I _know_, Ginny_," _Hermione repeated.

Harry walked in. He gave Ginny a kiss on her forehead and sat down ungracefully. Oblivious to Hermione's sadness, he reached across the table and picked up a sandwich.

"Hi 'Mione. How you doing?" he asked, mouth full of food. Irritated, Hermione sat her teacup down and huffed.

"I'm bloody well," she hissed, reaching for her purse. "And stop acting like Ronald. Don't speak with your mouth full!" Ginny and Harry watched Hermione leave their sun room. Neither said a word until they heard her sternly tell the floo system 'The Burrow'.

"What's her problem?" Inquired Harry, nervously holding the remainder of his sandwich.

Waving her hand dismissively, "She's pregnant and hormonal," Ginny told him.

"Oh." Harry took a large bite of his sandwich. Ginny sipped her wine.

_Three, two, one, _Ginny counted.

"Pregnant!" Harry asked, choking.

"Yes and you can't tell a soul."

"But Ginny!"

"Not a soul," Ginny said, ending any further conversation. Harry nodded before taking another bite of his sandwich.

Hermione sat in the small conference room off Ginny's main office. Ginny, at the request of Draco, was holding a closed meeting. Even though Hermione was thankful for this, the fact that Draco had requested it, stung a little.

Hermione sat calmly, refusing to look at Draco as he sat on the far end of the table. She and Draco sat in silence until Ginny and Draco's supervisor entered, followed by a charmed scroll and quill.

"Let's get this completed," Ginny started. "I have a very full schedule for the rest of the evening and I haven't had my dinner yet." Hermione and Draco both stood quickly.

Hermione listened to Ginny open the meeting in accordance with the Ministry's procedures. Only after all wands were requested to be placed in the box that had just appeared in the center of the table, was she allowed to sit. After reviewing the reports that both she and Draco submitted in great detail, Ginny started with the questions.

"Now, Hermione Granger. Do you have anything to add to the report that has been submitted to the Ministry with regards to the incident in Chicago?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head.

"A verbal response is required," Ginny prompted. Hermione cleared her throat. She never did like the business end of Ginny. Not too long ago, Hermione was the one helping Ginny with her hair, how she was her subordinate.

"No madam Minister."

"Nothing at all?" Ginny prodded with a knowing look. Hermione gave Ginny a warning look.

"Nothing Minister Weasley-Potter." A flash of disappointment crossed Ginny's face but she continued with the next line of business before allowing a five minute break.

Hermione stood and walked to the large window that overlooked London. She stood there, with the smallest hope that Draco would walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist like he had while she washed dishes. She stood at the window for five minutes, alone. She could hear Draco and his boss, Mackenlope enter the room. They laughed before taking their places.

Hermione turned to see Ginny storm into the room. She stood behind her seat and gave Hermione a knowing look. Hermione took her seat and the meeting continued.

"Now, regarding the marriage which was performed by Eros. What say you Draco Malfoy? Do you request for the marriage to be valid in the eyes of the Ministry or not?" Hermione kept her eyes on Ginny as she spoke.

"The _god _named Eros, performed the marriage under a misapprehension about the circumstances of those he married. Under the Ministry's own by-laws, section 1.39.5833w, formed in 1012, those which _we_ follow still today, that is grounds for annulment." Draco informed the room in a cold arrogant voice.

"I understand the by-laws Mister Malfoy. My question was, Do you want the marriage, or not?" Ginny asked, irritated. There was a pregnant silence in the room.

"No Minister Weasley-Potter. I request that the marriage be annulled," Draco sneered.

Hermione swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat.

"Very well. And what say you Mrs Granger?" Ginny asked.

"Annulment," croaked Hermione.

With a sad and disappointed expression, Ginny recorded the request and continued.

"Very well. Please acknowledge this. The magic that was used by the god named Eros, is the oldest in the world. This Ministry will allow the annulment, but many other Ministries will not. Until I get several more owls back, the only countries where your marriage will be acknowledged will be Scotland, England, South Africa, Nigeria, Canada and Austria. Three of those will change their ruling," Ginny looked at Hermione. "if a child is formed from the union in question." Hermione's heart tighten. "Those countries are Canada, Scotland and England."

_Damn you Ginny!_ Hermione cursed.

"And that is the final word of this Ministry." Draco nodded ignorantly while Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"And Madam Weasley-Potter, may I ask why that is?" Hermione asked though her teeth.

"That stipulation was at the request of the god which this Ministry provided immunity to in exchange for a vast amount of information. Surely you understand such an agreement for the vast amount of information the pair offered. Just think of it! Our Ministry of Magic, exclusive owners of first hand knowledge from gods!" Mackenlope exclaimed.

"Yes, very exciting," Draco sighed. "May we get our wands now? I have very pressing matters to attend to."

"Yes, you are dismissed," Ginny announced. Hermione slowly stood up. Draco shot out of his chair and snatched his wand, leaving without one look towards Hermione. Hermione waited calmly until Mackenlope left before reaching for her wand.

Ginny warmed her magical wax over a candle, preparing to seal the meeting notes.

"Ginny, when did you know about those stipulations? How does Eros have the ability to even dictate what the Ministry does?" Hermione yelled.

"He's a _god _Hermione. Read this," Ginny ordered as she handed over a parchment she pulled from her inner robe pocket.

_Minister Potter, I request that you read the text which I've enclosed. You will see that by the order of Merlin, I have final say in the matters of marriage and in matters of the growth and life of magical creatures. Yes, human wizards are nothing more then magical creatures in our books. Now please u__n__derstand. This may be come as a shock, as I've been negligent of my status, but your little Ministry has managed without me. Since the great war, or I should say the Old great war, the territorial lines of the Ministry you know of now have changed greatly. Note in the text, my region is now known as the land of Russia and Siberia, so please do think of me as a visiting dignitary. I will agree to an exchange of knowledge, but only with my two conditions. Diplomatic immunity for me and my mate and nullific__a__tion of any annulments if a child is created. _

_Please be at peace, young Minister. _

_EROS_

_Post Scriptu__m__, Please let Hermione and Draco know I'll be seeing them. _

Hermione dropped the scroll. Ginny blew on the seal she had stamped. She looked up and saw Hemione's washed out face.

"I received that one hour before the hearing. I contacted Hogwarts and Durmstrang Institute. McGonagall owled back, having spoken with Dumbledore's painting. In his own cryptic way, he confirmed what Eros said." Ginny snored as she stood. " Durmstrang Institute told me where to 'shove it' before demanding that if the letter and text were from Eros, I should send it to them immediately. They're still a little touchy over the whole Eiffel Tower incident. Didn't like that we sided with France you see."

Ginny rounded the table smirking. "I told them to 'shove it' and that we backed France for a wheel of cheese and jug of wine. If they wanted some 'backing' maybe they should start baking bread and making some vodka." Ginny busted out laughing.

Hermione looked at Ginny with concern. "Gin, are you okay?"

"Sure, just peachy darling. I um, have to go," she said before quickly walking out of sight.

Hermione sat at the dining room table, looking at her car keys. She had just kissed Maggie goodbye and waved to her as Molly Flooed her back to the Burrow. It was custard day, Maggie told her. Hermione smiled remembering how excited Molly had been when she saw Maggie in her skirt with a large appliqued M on it.

Hermione stood up and snatched the keys. For Maggie it was custard day and for her it was muggle doctor day.

Hermione drove to the large medical complex where her doctor worked. She checked in with the front desk and waited. Her nerves were on fire.

_Am I really going to go through with this? Am I really not going to tell Draco? Am I really going to get all of my care__from muggle doctors just so that my pregnancy is not reported to the Ministry? _She nodded to herself.

"Yes," she said out loud. The elderly woman next to her looked over.

"Pardon?" she asked. Hermione quickly looked around for a reason to say 'yes' out loud.

Seeing the rag the woman was reading she tapped the article the woman must have been reading.

"Here. Are there medical benefits from dark chocolate and red wine. Yes, there are."

The older lady looked at the article. "I'll get some straight away. I'll have myself a whole bar of chocolate and drink the whole bottle. That should do me well as I get along in years eh?" the lady laughed.

Uncomfortable, Hermione nodded as the nurse called her name.

Hermione felt a chill as she stood on the scale for the nurse to track her weight. She disliked being weighed with all her heart.

"Eating very well from the looks of it," the nurse commented as she wrote on Hermione's chart.

Hermione shivered as the room cooled. The nursed rubbed her arms. "Air system must be cranky. Janet?" she called down the hall as Hermione walked into the exam room. "Ring the maintenance department, have them review the air. Thank you."

"Where would you like me to sit?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Just over here. I'll be checking your temperature and blood pressure." Hermione sat next to a small table. The nurse wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm and started.

She watched the nurse. Hermione tried to see the nice in everyone, even in Draco she looked for the good. But this lady was rubbing her up the wrong way.

She watched as the nurse's expression changed. The nurse stood and removed the cuff from her arm, tapped the dial and shook it. Satisfied, she placed the cuff on Hermione's other arm. Frustrated and confused, the nurse apologized and walked over to a cupboard. She pulled out a new cuff and placed it on the first arm.

"Is there a problem," Hermione asked. The nurse looked up embarrassed.

"It seems that I can't find a blood pressure on you. Faulty cuff, probably."

Hermione rubbed her sore arms as the nurse looked down on the three cuffs she had piled on the table.

"No more of that. My arms are bruising."

The nurse nodded. "Right. Let me check your temperature."

Hermione sighed as the nurse changed the batteries in the second thermometer. "I just cannot believe you are that cold! You'd be dead if you were that cold."

Hermione stood abruptly suddenly realizing what was happening. "I'm leaving!" she yelped as she rushed to the door.

"Wait, you haven't seen the doctor. It's very important you meet the doctor on your three month appointment." She heard the nurse call out as she quickly walked down the hall.

Hermione didn't stop until she had locked herself in her car. She looked down at her stomach.

"You're doing this, aren't you?" Warmth spread through her body. Hermione felt herself starting to hyperventilate. "I'm going to have to tell your daddy huh?" No reaction from the baby.

"Well that's just brilliant now isn't it?"

Hermione slowly walked up to Draco's flat. She felt an unnatural warmth and calm spread through her body. _It'll be okay,_she told herself.

She knocked on the door took a step back. She took a soothing deep breath and couldn't help but smile.

_Draco, I'm pregnant. No, no. __Draco we're pregnant. Yes. That's it. We're. _Her heart raced as the door opened.

"May I help you?" a tall blonde asked. Hermione gave the woman a look over. The woman was taller than Hermione. Thinner, curvier and tanner. Her looks screamed high-maintenance.

"M-my name is Hermione Granger." Hermione held her hand out. The woman smiled widely and shook Hermione's hand very delicately.

"My Merlin. You're Hermione Granger. Oh, I'm so excited to meet you. I'm Lorena Lockwood," she giggled and covered her mouth.


	17. Visitors

Sorry for the wait, I got a case of the Lazies. Many thanks to TheRimmerConnection for Betaing.

* * *

Draco washed his hands slowly. He had been trying to drag out having to go back into the living room where he had left his ex-wife.

Roughly he pulled the hand towel off the holder and dried his hands.

"The bloody nerve of the witch," he mumbled, placing the dampened towel on the hook. He should have expected that she would show up after he saw the write-up in the Daily Prophet about him and Hermione.

_Money hungry tart_, he thought. Sighing, he opened the door. He squared his shoulders and held his head high as he walked into the living room. It was empty, but he could hear her talking. Cursing, he made his way to the front door.

"Oh, isn't it just great how every thing worked out so well," his ex-wife was saying to whoever stood on the porch.

"Yes. Yes it is," he heard a soft voice respond. His heart jolted. He cleared his throat to announce his presence. Lorena turned and smiled.

"Look who came to say hi sweetie," she purred. Draco rolled his eyes and shrugged off her hand.

"I'm not your sweetie, and as an unwelcome guest in _my_ home, you do not have the right to answer the door."

Hermione shifted uncomfortably at the door. "I'll be be going," she said to no one in particular.

"No. I wanted to talk to you. I was in the middle of writing an owl before Lorena showed up unannounced." He glared at Lorena, who just crossed her arms.

"Draco, don't be so cross in front of guests."

"Leave, Lorena." She huffed and turned to collect her belongings. Hermione opened her mouth to apologise, but was stopped when Draco held up his hand. He motioned for her to come in before walking quickly into the other room. Draco found Lorena sliding her handbag over her shoulder.

"It would be very much appreciated if you would owl me before stepping out of my fireplace."

"Oh Draco, I'm sorry I popped in unannounced, but we have such a great chemistry together. You can't deny that."

"Just leave," he snapped. "Now." She looked at him and glared.

"If I leave, I won't come back. This is your last chance Draco. I'm offering you that wife and kids dream of yours. Take it or leave it, but remember this is a one time deal."

"No, that might have worked when we were married. Now you're just pathetic. Get out of my home and do not come back." He could feel his anger rising, but he fought hard to control himself.

She raised her head gracefully, walked to the fireplace and left without a further word. Draco sighed, willing the pain in his chest to subside. After one more deep calming breath he remembered Hermione.

Quickly he walked into the other room to find Hermione still by the door.

"Hermione, you could have gone into the living room and sat down." he saw her shift from foot to foot, looking like she was ready to make a run for the door.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly. Hermione sucked in a breath and pressed her lips together. She rubbed her stomach and flapped the collar of her shirt.

"Nothing. I'm just a bit warm," she said. "You said you were going to owl me?"

He nodded and held his hand out to welcome her to the living room. "Yes. Lets get you a drink first."

He guided her into the living room where she sat in the armchair. He walked to the other side of the room and opened his wet bar cupboard. He poured two fire whiskeys and walked back to Hermione. He handed her a glass before sitting across from her.

Draco took a long slow sip before looking at her. He had not wanted to see her again after the meeting with Ginny. "I had a visitor last night."

Hermione looked at her glass before setting it on the side table. "Visitor?"

Draco nodded as he took a second sip. "Bob," he shook his head and made a noise of disgust. "Eros. He walked right in, going on about how he was in town and wanted to check in on me. Have drinks and watch a game like we had in Chicago."

"Eros? Have drinks and watch football?" she asked. Draco nodded and finished off his drink. He eyed her glass, still untouched on the side table.

"Something wrong with your drink?" Hermione shook her head and willed the bile back down her throat. Not only was the smell of the Fire Whiskey turning her stomach, but the thought of drinking it and harming the baby made her ill.

"No, nothing wrong with it."

"Then why not drink it? You saw me pour it Granger, it's not poisoned," he joked.

She took a deep breath and summoned her Gryffindor courage. "I can't drink it," she told him. Seeing the confused look on his face she dropped another clue. "In my condition." Still not getting the hints. Draco offered her tea.

"Giggles!" he called out. A house elf popped into the room. She hoped it was a she, since it was dressed in a pale pink pettiskirt dress. Draco rolled his eyes seeing the elf's choice of clothing today. She fought him when he suggested that she wear clothing, only calming when he made it an order and asurred her that she was still wanted and in service. He wanted to set himself apart from his father in every way possible and letting his elf wear proper clothing, was as far as he could be.

"Yes?" the elf squeaked.

"Please bring Hermione some tea." The elf looked over to Hermione and glared.

"She hurt Master!" she called out pointing at Hermione. Hermione jerked back, shocked at the elf's anger. "Why she here?"

"Giggles! Your behavior is uncalled for. Now, go and get Hermione tea." Just as the elf turned to leave Draco reached out and grabbed the Giggles' arm. "And if you put anything in it that harms her, I'll kill you myself," he muttered low enough that Hermione couldn't hear. Giggles nodded and popped out of the room.

"What did I do?" Hermione asked, still in shock.

"Nothing. Ignore her. Back to Eros," he said trying to divert the conversation. "He stopped by and wanted to have a chat about us. Apparently he was under the impression that we are still married after our cover had been blown and we returned home." Draco chuckled.

"Married?" she repeated nervously. Giggles popped back in to the room and handed her the cup of tea. She carefully accepted, still not trusting the elf.

"I admit I had a good laugh. Can't understand why he would come up with it though. He knew we petitioned for our marriage to be annulled. Have you seen either of them?" Hermione shook her head. She would probably hex them to Chicago and back if she had.

"No. I have not, but I have an idea of why he may have thought that." She set the teacup and saucer on the little table next to the whiskey.

"And what would that be?" Draco asked. She looked at him, seeing Giggles standing behind him and to the side. She wondered if the house elf would harm her once she told him. She humphed. It would be her ironic luck. Someone for whom she had worked so hard to provide with rights and freedoms, would hex and kill her.

"I'm pregnant."

The room went quiet. The only thing to be heard was the sound of the world outside the window. Hermione swallowed the bile back down to her stomach. She glanced at her watch and waited. Draco continue to stare at her and Giggles stared at Draco.

"The marriage stands if a child had been conceived," she reminded him. "Are you going to say something?" she asked.

"Pregnant," he repeated. "Is it mine?" he sneered.

"Of course it's yours!" she snapped. "Why would I come here and tell you if it wasn't?" He stood abruptly, startling both Giggles and Hermione.

"I don't know Granger. Its been months since we've been back. You can't expect me to just assume that I'm the father. If I am the father, why has it taken you so long to tell me? Why now!"

Hermione shook her head, angry at his anger and suspicion.

"You know what? Just forget I was here. I only came to tell you that I was pregnant before you found out at work when a MediWitch or Healer reported it." She stood and left, leaving Draco and Giggles staring at each other.

Three days later Hermione woke up early to pack Maggie's 'Going to Grandma's place' bag. She walked into Maggie's room, trying to be quiet so as not to wake her, but the moment she pulled her underwear drawer open, she heard Maggie mutter. She turned around to see Maggie sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Morning Maggie."

"Morning mum. I want to sleep longer," she said sounding half asleep. Hermione smiled for a moment before frowning. What would Maggie say when she learned that she was going to have a baby?

"Have a lie in. You have time. I just wanted to pack you up so you don't have to rush around later." Maggie nodded and flopped back into bed.

Jokingly Hermione said, "Have to stop staying up all night Maggie." Expecting her to just giggle and tell her that she didn't.

"I couldn't help it mum. It's been a long time since I saw him," Maggie said with her eyes closed. Hermione watched Maggie wriggle around in bed before finding a comfortable spot.

"You have a dream about someone Maggie?" she asked hopefully.

"Bob came for a chat. He's mad at you," she mumbled. Hermione's heart jolted.

"Maggie wake up!"

Maggie reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up. "You said I could have a lie in," she whined.

"Was Bob here last night?" she asked as she sat on her bed. Maggie nodded.

"Yes, mum."

"Why did you not wake me!" Maggie looked at her mum with irritation.

"Because he said not to." Hermione tried to calm herself so as not to scare Maggie.

"Tell me everything he said Maggie."

"I can't tell you everything," she told her mum. "When is my brother coming?" Wide eyed, Hermione looked at Maggie.

"How did you know I was pregnant Maggie?" she asked hoping that she had just overheard her and Ginny talking.

"Bob told me. He is mad at you and No No. He said that you two are making him mad. That you two are ruining it all." Maggie yawned and rubbed her face. "What are you guys ruining? Can grandma fix it? She can fix a lot of stuff."

"I don't know Maggie. I'm not sure what No No, ack, Draco and I had done. I just don't know." Hermione said solemnly. She had a very good idea of what Eros meant. He, for some unfathomable reason, wanted her and Draco to be a happy little family. But what worried her most of all, was that he had been here and that her wards had not prevented it.


	18. Where is my stuff?

Many thanks to TheRimmerConnection, she has done a fabulous job betaing this chapter.

Hope you all enjoy…

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Once Hermione had taken Maggie to the Burrow she went to the park to walk and think. She knew she should go and talk to Draco, but she couldn't make her feet walk in the direction of his flat.

After an hour of walking the park trails, she left for home. She had made up her mind that she would move. She would move, and Harry would be her secret keeper. He did not know it yet, but he would agree. If he wouldn't, then... well, she would make him agree. She looked around nervously as she unlocked her front door. She swung open the door and stood slack-jawed.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She stormed into her bare living room and walked to her bare kitchen.

"Where are all of my things?" she asked the naked room. She looked in the cupboards, hoping she would find something, but nothing was to be found. Nothing anywhere.

A cracking sound echoed through the house. Instantly Hermione drew her wand. Slowly she walked down the hallway to find Giggles standing in the middle of the dining room.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded as she aimed her wand. Giggles sneered.

"Waiting. Master said to bring you." The elf vanished. Hermione spun around, desperately looking for the elf.

"Show yourself!" she cried. "I demand that you show yourself!" Hermione felt something press against her left leg. Gasping, she jumped and turned her attention to Giggles. The elf reached out and took hold of her wrist before she could move.

"We go." Giggles said before Hermione felt the room spin around her.

When Giggles let go of her hand, Hermione found herself in Draco's flat.

Draco stood against the wall, drink in hand. "Good afternoon, wife," he said before sipping.

"Malfoy," she said coldly. Draco smiled, shaking his head.

"Hermione, calm down."

"Calm down!" she cried. She lowered her wand as she ran her other hand through her hair. "Calm down. I came home to find my house empty. I then found myself being taken from my home without consent. I-I-I-I," Hermione felt herself starting to hyperventilate. Her vision started to darken and she felt light-headed.

Quickly, Draco was at her side. He wrapped his arm around her waist and slowly walked her to the couch.

"Giggles," he called out. "In, out. In and out Hermione." Giggles appeared at his side while he coached Hermione to breathe slowly.

"Get my mother," he ordered. The elf nodded and snapped her fingers.

Draco slid one hand up and down Hermione's back as he spoke to her in a soothing voice. He cursed himself for how he had handled this. What was he thinking when he had come up with this plan? He groaned, answering his own question. He wasn't.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Hermione nodded. Tears stained her cheeks.

"Where are my things?" she asked as she stood.

"At home," he said simply. Hermione shook her head and paced.

"No they are not. My home is bare." Draco stood and walked up to her.

"They are at our home. You can keep that little cottage if you want. Rent it out, but you and Maggie will be living at Malfoy Manor." She scoffed, stepped away, desperate to put some space between them.

"We live there. Hidden away, right? Out of sight, out of mind?" she hissed.

"No, it wouldn't be like that," he interrupted as he reached out for her hand.

"No?" She shook his hand away. "Why? Why then, Draco?" she asked, hoping for the right answer. Hoping for an answer that didn't have any hint of 'obligation' to it.

Draco stood and walked closer.

"Because you're my wife." He reached out with a shaky hand and placed it on her stomach. "You're carrying my child. Why else? Any other way is unacceptable," he responded softly. Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head.

Wrong answer, she cried in her mind.

"I refuse to be with you out of obligation." She turned away and quickly walked to his door. Once she was outside, she ran to the dark alley where she knew it would be safe to Apparate.

She closed her eyes and thought of Malfoy Manor.

When she got to the front door, she was greeted by a house-elf dressed in what was, in a past life, a pillow case. "Welcome home my lady." Hermione scoffed, but thought twice of correcting the elf. She wanted to enter the manor.

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you." She stepped in and let the elf close the door. "Could you show me where Maggie and my things are?" she asked, hiding her twisted fingers.

"Of course," the elf said, bowing. She followed him deep into the manor. She was oddly pleased to see that the Manor looked nothing like it had when she was there last. The elf slowed at one door, pointing once he had Hermione's attention.

"The little miss's room," he said. She nodded and made a mental note of where the room was. He continued slowly down the hall. Hermione felt her body buzz with adrenaline. She fidgeted with her pants pocket, silently begging the elf to hurry up. She knew Draco would be showing up soon. And she wanted to be long gone by then.

The elf slowed in front of a door and pointed. "You and master's room." She nodded and thanked him before dismissing him. She walked into the room and stood frozen.

It was beautiful.

The walls were painted a soft cream and trimmed in gold. Ceiling to floor curtains hung from large windows, and framed the doorway to the balcony. The room was split by an archway with two bookcases on either side, making a lounge area. The room was decorated in a typical French neo-Classical way, with both her and Draco in mind. She slowly walked around the room, picking out little accents that screamed either her or Draco. She blushed when she saw the bed. Centered against the far wall sat the King-sized bed dressed with floral pillows and a fluffy comforter. The tall headboard had a stuffed center that matched the curtains, framed with wood work that matched the walls and trim. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to run and fall onto that bed.

She shook her head and focused. Pack and leave, she reminded herself.

With a flick of the wand she watched her belongings wiggle out of their places in the room and pack themselves into her charmed bag. Once she was done, she made her way to Maggie's room.

Again, Hermione had to stop and stare. "Damn you Draco," she cried. She wiped a tear from her eye and sucked in a breath. She took a last look at the pale pink room. The theme was a mixture of princesses and fairytales. The walls were enchanted to look like a meadow bordered by a forest. Little bunnies stopped and looked at her. Once they lost interest, they started hopping along again. She circled the room and stopped where the room separated. The wall, arched just like her and Draco's room, was enchanted to be a stone wall. She stepped through and found a very 'Maggie' classroom. Books lined the shelves. Little desks held large stiffened fairy tale characters with papers and pens at the ready. Hermione knew Maggie would love this room in a heartbeat. Panicked at the thought, she quickly stepped out of the room and back into the bedroom side. She waved her wand, commanding Maggie's things to her bag. As the bag filled, she eyed the room once more.

The bed was raised into a castle that looked like it grew out of the wall. The pink and white lacy pillows matched the curtains, and the dresser and mirror matched the white woodwork that trimmed the room. The closet doors were flung open and she could see now that Maggie had a whole dress-up closet. "Big upgrade from the trunk of dress-up clothes," she muttered sadly.

She felt drained by the time Maggie had been all packed up. A cold sweat crossed her back and forehead, but she kept walking. Her goal now was to make it to the front door and go home.

She groaned when she had heard Draco's voice. As she rounded the corner she saw Draco and Giggles standing at the door.

"Hermione," Draco exclaimed. He rushed to meet her as she walked straight to the door. "What's wrong?" he asked seriously. "You don't look well." Hermione ignored him and kept walking to the door.

She faltered at the door, dropping her bag. Coldness shot through her body in a wave. She reached out for the door frame to stop herself from falling as she shivered violently. She opened and closed her hands, begging for the tingling to stop.

"Hermione?" Draco cried out. She rolled her eyes in frustration. If she hadn't known that his concern was rooted in just obligation, she would have loved him right then and there. But now? It made her mad. She could see him rushing over to her.

Draco ran straight into an invisible wall, just like the one he had run into in Chicago. Fear filled his chest. He drew his wand and looked around the room quickly. He didn't see Bob, but he kept his wand out. Hermione took a deep breath, feeling better. She held her hand out and called for her bag. Draco seeing the bag float to her with no interruption, walked to her again. He didn't meet a wall this time, but by the time he got to the door Hermione was half way down the stairs.

"Hermione, stop!" he called out. She stopped on a step and turned around. He saw how glassy her eyes were and worry grew in his chest to accompany the fear. He put his wand away and called out for her to stop and listen to him. She shook her head in a daze. Her vision darkened before she fell backwards.

Draco screamed her name as he watched, frozen in place. In a split -second, he envisioned all that would happen. She would fall down the rest of the stone steps, bruising and breaking her body along the way. The trauma would be too great for her body, causing her to lose the baby. She would have complications, because that was his poor fortune and she would die in their bed with Maggie crying at her side. All he ever wanted would end before it started.

Giggles' hands shot out and stopped Hermione mid-fall. She floated Hermione closer to them, and then into the house. Draco followed wordlessly as she took Hermione to their room. He pulled back the blankets and arranged the pillows when Giggles told him to. Draco tried to ignore the role-reversal situation between him and his trusted elf.

Voices could be heard from the hallway as he tucked Hermione in. He looked to the door just as his mother walked in. She gasped when she saw Hermione's pale face, then turned around and called for her elf to go and get the family Healer. Within moments the healer was at their side examining Hermione under many watchful eyes.

Hermione's eyes fluttered awake slowly. Warmth spread through her body as she rolled over. Half asleep, she smiled when she found Maggie next to her, coloring.

"Mummy!" Maggie pushed her book and crayons away and leaped into her mum's arms.

"Maggie," Hermione responded. As she hugged and rocked Maggie, Hermione took in her surroundings.

She was in Malfoy Manor. She groaned just as the door swung open. In came Draco, his mother, Harry and Ginny. Draco looked relieved, his mother joyful. Harry looked concerned and Ginny had a classic 'I told you so' look on her face.

"Harry, I need to tell you something," she said calmly as she rubbed her daughter's back.

Harry nodded as he adjusted his glasses. "Yes, I would say so Mrs. Malfoy."


	19. Because I want to

Hi all, sorry it has taken me so long to post. Life has been crazy.

Thanks to TheRimmerConnect for betaing.

Thank you all for reading and being the best readers and reviewers ever. I'm very thankful for it all.

Enjoy...

* * *

It had been a week since Hermione and Maggie had moved in to Malfoy Manor. She sat in a large comfortable chair as she watched Maggie play in her room. Hermione shook her head as she thought back to the moment she had woken up that first day after she had passed out on the stairs, she had known she would lose the battle.

She sat on the bed holding Maggie. She slowly ran her fingers through her daughter's hair as she looked at Harry. Draco cleared his throat and called for Giggles.

"Giggles, take Maggie to her room so she may play until the evening meal is ready," he told the elf. She nodded and held her hand out to Maggie, who smiled widely and hopped off the bed quick as a rabbit.

"Come on Giggles. We'll play dress-up. You can be a movie star," Maggie squealed. Giggles glared up at Draco, who stood with a smirk.

"I should have let her fall," she snarled at Draco. Draco chuckled until he saw the others in the room glaring at him. He waited until Maggie had dragged Giggles out of the room before he defended himself.

"What?" he snapped.

"You just laughed at the idea of your wife falling down the stairs?" his mother asked as she stared at her son in disbelief.

Harry and Ginny made their way to the bed where Hermione had sat. Ginny sat next to Hermione, Harry at her feet. The three of them turned to watch Draco and his mother bicker, Draco defending himself by saying that he was not laughing at the idea of Hermione falling, but at the displeasure of his elf having to play dress-up. Hermione smiled at the scene, even though she was upset at the whole situation. She found herself liking her mother in law.

"Hermione," Harry said, pulling her attention back to him. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. I'm sorry for not telling you Harry. I just didn't know the best time. I had honestly hoped to resolve everything before it would snowball." Ginny reached out and held Hermione's hand. The two women had a quiet moment of understanding before Ginny hit Hermione on the arm. She yelped, which got Draco's protective attention.

"Hey, bloody well sod off and stop hitting my wife," he barked as he stormed off to the bed. Hermione and the Potters all flinched at his reaction.

"She was just kidding Draco, calm down," Hermione said calmly. Draco took a deep breath as he glared at his guest. He nodded and relaxed. Cracking a small smile, he apologized to the couple. Surprising everyone.

Later that night, when the Healer arrived to do a follow up check on Hermione, Harry and Ginny left. While the healer examined her, she thought back on how well the evening had gone. All four of them had chatted over a light snack as Cissy left to spend some time with Maggie.

The man cleared his throat. Hermione looked at him and Draco, who stared at her with concern.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked.

"Hermione, have you not been listening?" Draco asked. She shook her head and sat up. Giving him her full attention, she asked the Healer to repeat himself.

"As I have told your husband," he snapped.

"Healer Moss, I would rethink my tone if I were you," Draco warned. The older man nodded and re-addressed her in a pleasant and warm voice.

"The pregnancy will be trying. You're a powerful witch and your husband a powerful wizard. Mixing the two may still often lead to an uneventful magical pregnancy or a squib. However, you have neither of these. Your little chap there is a powerful one. Clearly he is pulling from your magic, and from what you and your husband have told me, he is pulling a lot. When you are using your magic and are emotional, that will work up the baby and he will pull your magic. It is very important that you minimize your use of magic, if not cease all together." She stared at the man, slack-jawed.

"You're joking, right?" He shook his head solemly. Taking a witch or wizard's magic was like clipping the wings of a hawk. It took what they lived for away. And he hated having to tell such a young couple this news.

"I'm afraid not. Perhaps later on in the pregnancy, but at this point, that is my recommendation." Hermione nodded and sneaked a peek at Draco. He had a mix of emotions on his face.

Pride. Worry. Fear.

"Is there anything else we may do? Herbs or potions to calm the baby?" he asked. The man smiled genialy at the innocence of the question.

"No Mr. Malfoy, there isn't. Keeping a calm home and minimizing the magic used by your wife is all we can do. I would discourage draughts and potions, unless truly needed." They both nodded and thanked the man for coming so late.

Hermione followed Draco to the dining room. She found her mother in law engrossed in one of Maggie's elaborate stories. The two of them acknowledged their arrival, but quickly returned to a disastrous cooking experience she had had with Grandma Weasley. Draco sat across from Hermione and wordlessly served himself up some food. Hermione watched him. As the moments clicked by, she worried that he was changing his mind about her and the baby.

_Maybe now he is regretting his highhandedness and realizing that he should have just let me leave, _she worried. Before she could calm her anxiety, the water glass in front of her cracked. Draco looked up at the glass before quickly glancing to see if his mother and Maggie had noticed. Neither had, still in deep talks about why one does not add water to a hot pan of oil.

"Hermione?" He hissed quietly.

"What?" snapped the witch. She took a long slow breath through her nose and exhaled it.

"What's wrong? Are you mad at me?" He leaned over the table closer to her.

"Of course not. Why would I be mad at the man who all but kidnapped me and my daughter?" she whispered as she mirrored him.

"You are my wife and she is my daughter too now. It's not kidnapping. More like forceful relocation." He reached over and roughly grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes. Roughly slapping the potatoes onto his plate, he didn't notice that he splattered himself.

"Honestly Draco, what would have been so wrong with talking to me beforehand?" she hissed."You could have come to your conclusions without hurting Maggie." She glared at the elf that popped up next to her. He timidly reached for the cracked water glass. Hermione lost her patience and grabbed the glass and shoved it toward the elf.

"Here," she hissed. "Was asking for it impossible?" The elf looked at her with large watery eyes. Wordlessly he looked at Draco and back at Hermione in a panic.

"Well?" she snapped. Draco rolled his eyes and cleared his throat.

"If you've done with your bloody attitude. Yes, it is impossible unless you know his gesture." He turned his attention to the elf. "My deepest apologies for my horrid wife, Mouse. You may go, thank you." Mouse made a quick hand gesture and disappeared. Embarrassed she dropped her head and sighed.

"He's mute," she said.

"Umhm."

"He was asking with that hand flapping he did, wasn't he?"

"Umhmmm."

"I should go and find him and apologize," she said as she scooted her chair back.

"Don't waste your time. You won't find him. He's terrified of you now." Horrified, Hermione looked up at him.

"What! Terrified!" she cried. A smile danced on Draco's lips. She balled up her napkin and threw it at him. "Don't do that to me. The poor thing just might be. I was horrible to him."

"You're not so calm yourself. Now." She nodded and slowly filled her plate with food.

Draco set his fork down and sucked in a deep breath.

"Hermione. Listen and listen well, I hate repeating myself and this is difficult for me. I love you and Maggie. Yes, I reacted very poorly when you told me. It's a shock. Any bloke would be anxious, but I was mad. I was mad at you for keeping it from me as long as I think you have. Mad that I missed the start of our child's life and I wanted at that time to hurt you as much as I was hurting. I should have contacted you and talked all of this out, but I knew I stood a huge chance of you rejecting me. So I gave you no choice. I want you, not because I have to, but because I want to."

Hermione smiled as she thought back on that day. She wouln't tell anyone but Ginny, but at that moment, she fell for Draco. It had been a good week so far. She sat back in her chair and closed the book she held. Maggie called for Giggles to play dress-up. Giggles wordlessly let Maggie pick out her outfit and dress her. She never would say a word, but when Giggles did not know she was being watched, it was easy to see that she was enjoying herself. She hoped that this would all work out.

_It ha__s to_, she told herself. _We deserve a happily ever after_. After the war, leaving her family, losing her husband, she thought she was due for something to go right. She hummed. Draco deserved some happiness too. He'd also been through enough. She opened her book and removed her bookmark. She told herself for the hundredth time 'Be happy', 'Enjoy this' but something dark lurked in the shadows. Something that warned her to 'be ready for the other shoe to drop'.

Pushing it away, she focused on the words on the pages as a cold shiver raced through her body. She shushed as she rubbed her lower stomach. "It's okay," she said to the baby. The shiver faded and turned to a calming warmth. She only hoped she could believe it would be okay.


	20. Mad Barking mad

**Hello all!**

**Well I've had a little fun in this chapter. There is a section in which I have borrowed from a brilliant TV show. Well, brilliant in my opinion. If you know which TV show I'm paying homage to, please post your guess or send it to me, all correct answers will get ten points! Whoo hoo!**

**I'll put everyone out of there misery in the A/N for the next chapter.**

**Again, thank you a bunch to The Rimmerconnection for looking this over.**

* * *

"You're mad. Positively mad!" Hermione cried out. Over the last week she had smiled and supported Draco's idea of No-Magic-Manor. She thought the _idea_ of it was nice, a thoughtful notion at most. What she had not considered was that he would actually follow through with it. That he was serious.

"Barking," Maggie chipped in as she walked across the room. Both Hermione and Draco's heads spun toward the little girl dressed as a Hogwarts Professor. The accent of green and silver bothered her, but she had larger slugs to boil at the moment.

"Maggie," Hermione warned. "That was not nice." True, but not nice just the same, she thought.

"Sorry," she muttered before using her finger to motion Giggles to follow her. Giggles glared at Draco, her facial expression agreeing with Maggie's initial remark.

Once the two were out of the room, Hermione turned to her husband.

"You're barking!"

"What do you want for tea?" he asked, ignoring her outburst. "I've had a yearning for fish all day."

"Draco this is serious. No magic, at all?" she asked. She crossed her arms and paced between the sofa and the chair. "Minimal magic by the elves. How do you expect your mother to function? Has she ever been a full day without magic?"

Draco shook his head in confusion. "Hermione, we've been without magic before. Chicago, remember?"

Hermione picked up the Daily Prophet from couch and rolled it up. "That was just us." Emphasising each word with a swat to Draco's arm. "You're suggesting that the whole house be without magic."

"I'm not suggesting, I'm telling. Malfoys do not suggest. Come here." He held out his hand and pulled Hermione close to him. "I want this to be simple and stress free. I read up on how it's best to keep a bloke who has a drinking problem away from others who drink. Keep him out of the pubs and all, it said." Hermione looked up from the crook of his arm.

"Are you comparing me to an alcoholic?"

"Yes."

She gave him a warning look, which for a moment reminded him of Snape.

"No?" he said as his voice wavered. "Not in the slightest." Without response, Hermione lowered her head and settled back into Draco's hug.

"But what about your mum?"

Draco cringed. The thought of his mother trying to do her hair without magic was not a pleasant one. No good could follow his mother if she wasn't able to do her hair to her usual standards.

"I'll hire some Muggles to help." Hermione's head shot up again in shock.

"Madness," she said before walking away.

Two days later, Draco and the family stood in the newly made living room. Hermione stared at the television that Draco had purchased in Chicago. Tilting her head to one side, she racked her brain, trying to think of where her late-night drunken purchases could be.

Where did I tell them to send it all? She wondered. Logic told her that she would have told the operator to send it to the flat, but she couldn't remember anything coming in the mail. He got his bloody television here, my hair straighteners should be here too, she huffed as she turned her attention to Maggie.

"Mum," she asked, seeing her mother look toward her.

"Yes Maggie?"

"My ruffles itch." _Ruffles?_ she thought.

"What ruffles?" Hermione asked. She looked her daughter over, trying to find the itching ruffles.

"On my bottom," she whined as she pulled at her underwear.

"What are you talking about child?" Hermione knelt next to her and look a look under Maggie's dress as discreetly as she could. Hermione found that she wore a rather cute petticoat and ruffled underwear.

"Is this from your costume wardrobe?"

"No. Grandma." Hermione stood slowly. "She said it was what little girls should wear in times like these. She said these are mad times. Mummy," the little girl sighed. Hermione bit her lip, trying to hold in her laughter. Here she knelt next to her daughter who wore an adorable dress, with an itchy petticoat and ruffled underpants. Where would have her mother in law have even purchased them? She couldn't think of any Wizarding shops that did this sort of clothes. She made a mental note to ask Cissy.

"Yes?"

But Maggie didn't have a chance to finish, Draco walked through to door with a couple of Muggles following him. Draco had shown the new hires where he wanted them to sit and motioned to Hermione and Maggie to stand next to him. He introduced those present and then suggested a move to the dining room.

"This is not going to work," she said in a voice that only he could hear.

"Of course it will," he replied, just as hushed as she was. She rolled her eyes and watched him walk into the room.

All of the new faces to the Manor were very happy and very careful with their words around her and her mother in law. Draco reviewed duties and how the study would progress. Hermione hid her smirk when she saw the look on Cissy's face. She could see that this would be very trying for her. Cissy surprised her. She knew that this woman was terrified of being without magic, but she did not let it show. And it made her want to cry because she was so thankful. She thanked Merlin that Cissy loved them so much that she would blindly follow this crazy plan. The Cissy she knew now was a far cry from the Mrs. Malfoy she had known many years ago. Of course, she really hadn't known her well back then. And she had lied to Lord Voldemort and protected Harry.

After a long and complete orientation, her mother in law retired to her room to take a nap. Hermione thought that a nap sounded heavenly at the moment, but she had an arm's-length list of things she needed to get done.

On cue, her new 'helper' followed her to the library.

"Annie, I can handle writing some letters alone."

The woman nodded nonchalantly. "Of course."

Hermione stopped and looked over her shoulder at the woman. "You're still going to follow me," she muttered. Annie nodded. "Right, come along," Hermione sighed as she started making her way to the library.

Late one night several weeks later, Hermione was sitting on the couch in the library when Draco walked in. He saw her slowly flipping the pages of the book she held. He looked around the room and groaned. Every single surface was covered with mugs, some empty, some still held tea or coffee. The time with the Muggle helpers had been fun in the beginning, but as time dragged on, the novelty had worn off. He had hired them mainly to help his mother adapt to not using magic and having a helper for all of them seemed the best way to not single her out. But now she was out of control and his loving wife wanted him to learn his lesson.

"_You made your bed now lie in it!" _she told him one night. Well, yelled at him one night. Now he wanted them gone and he wanted his bloody wand. He, of course, was not going to propose ending it all: he had a reputation to uphold. Malfoys didn't back down from a challenge. So he had to wait. Wait for either his very emotional wife or his suspiciously calm mother to, as the Muggles said, blow the whistle.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think it has to end?" he asked as he pretended to look out of the window.

"It should have never started," she snapped as she closed her book and turned her full attention to him.

Draco ignored her comment and sat at the desk.

"I-" Draco stopped mid-sentence, seeing his mother enter the room. She entered with a wistful expression on her face. He saw Hermione roll her eyes in disgust. The one person in the Manor who she had been positive would be kicking and screaming at this point, was the one who couldn't be happier. And he knew it drove her mad.

He saw she held a small dress which he knew was for Maggie. Humming joyfully, she pulled her needle away from the dress, the thread stretched an arm's-length in the air, reminding him of a spider's web floating in the wind.

"Isn't this fascinating?" she asked them. She removed a small pair of scissors from her dress-coat pocket and snipped the thread. "Just look at that! I did that! I attached all of the little sequins." Chuckling she held the dress up for Hermione and him to see. "George taught me to do this. Fascinating that Muggles do this all the time. Just fascinating." She turned the dress around and critically examined her own work.

Hermione nodded, fighting the frustration that boiled in her.

Cissy folded the dress and set it on the arm of the chair next to Draco.

"So, who wants tea?" She asked.

Before Draco could raise his hand, eager to indulge his mother's newly found passion for making tea and coffee non-stop, Hermione gave a very un-lady like grunt.

"What?" his mother asked, all the joy she previously had, momentarily gone. He hid a grin. Aha, here is the mother I know, he thought, seeing the irritation crossing her face. He sat back in the chair, waiting to watch the show. He had been waiting for his mother to go mad over the lack of magic in her life and he was sure today was the day.

Cissy turned and faced Hermione. His wife coolly shifted in the chair and un-crossed her legs. She planted both feet firmly on the floor, a posturing that she held many times in their heated conversations.

"You keep making tea," she said holding her arms as if to pray. "Every surface is covered with mugs of tea and coffee. I'm going to make myself some tea and I can't. There's no mugs! There's no tea! It's all been made!" Hermione raised and dropped her hands in defeated as she slouched in the chair. "And you won't even drink it. Y-y-you won't drink it yet you keep making it." She pounded her fist in her hand. "Oh-h-h my god. It's driving me insane!"

Draco's eyes widened in shock. Hermione was not a person to pull a punch and he knew this from experience. But he would have never foreseen her unleashing toward his mother.

Cissy adjusted her dress-coat, unbothered by her daughter in law's outburst.

"Oh well, I like my routine." Smiling widely she continued. "It makes me feel normal."

Sputtering, Hermione fought to find her words. "What the-what that… You're a witch!"

"Yes okay," she said turning her attention to Draco. "You finished with these?" she asked pointing at the four half empty mugs on the desk. Draco nodded, blissfully enjoying the show.

Hermione dropped her head into her hands. "It ends now Draco! No more helpers around the Manor. No more magic ban. Enough! I'm going mad. I can't handle this any longer!"

Cissy held the mugs in her arms and gave Hermione an apologetic look. Draco stood and smoothed his shirt out.

"I'll give the Muggles notice. Giggles." Giggles walked into view from her hiding spot behind the book case. "Go and get our wands. There will no longer be a limitation on magic in the Manor." The elf nodded and faded into the shadow.

"Oh thank Merlin," Cissy sighed as she dropped the mugs and tea cups on the table in a loud racket. "If I saw one more bloody tea kettle I was going to throw Unforgivables at anything that moved. Wand or no wand." She turned away from them just as Giggles returned. She held Cissy's wand out as she walked by. Draco smirked as he saw the shock on Hermione's face as she watched Cissy all but skip out of the room, wand in hand.

"I'm going to take a nap," Hermione said as she accepted her wand from Giggles. Draco nodded and watched his wife leave the room.

Giggles handed over his wand as he sat where Hermione had been sitting.

"So who won?" he asked. Giggles rolled her eyes and groaned. "Mouse. He won seventy Galleons."

"Disturbing behavior from house elves, placing bets on which of their masters would crack first."

"You're just upset you lost. Tsk tsk Master Draco, betting on your mother," she replied, fading into the bright ray of light before he could respond.

Draco took a deep breath to calm himself before he was able to chuckle. The damn elf was right.


	21. Max

Welcome back!

Scipio'sgirl and StarVixenboth get ten points to their house for knowing that it had been 'Being Human' I had referenced. I've seen the SyFy version, not loving it. I have to have the real Mitchell.

Again, thank you TheRimmerConnection for reviewing this and helping me.

* * *

Maggie covered her mouth quickly, trying to quiet her laughter. It was late at night. Her family had been sleeping for hours now and the house elves had finally taken their rest for the day. This was the only time he ever came. She had waited all week for this moment. The weeks had been getting more difficult for her. When he had first started visiting her, the weeks flew by quickly. Now, each day felt like a year of her short life. She calmed herself and took a deep breath. She slowly walked to her bedroom door and placed her ear against it. She listened for a moment, and heard no one. Smiling she turned around and gave Bob the thumbs up.

"Okay little lady, do it again," he instructed her. She nodded and walked into the middle of the room. Her spacious, fairytale bedroom had been cleared up leaving a large space for them to work.

Maggie stood with her bare feet planted shoulder width apart. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind as Bob had taught her. She took a deep breath and pictured one of her Grandma's pretty flowers. Maggie had never seen a flower like that anywhere else, and her Grandma Cissy had told her never to go near it without her being there. She opened her eyes and looked at the space in front of her, thinking of the exotic plant. With a raise of her little hand a large potted plant grew from the pebble Bob had placed on the floor. Bob walked over to the plant and inspected it.

"Is this exactly what you wanted?" he asked as he circled the one and a half meter tall plant. Maggie walked over and looked at the blue flowers.

"No," she said, disappointed. "The flowers are wrong. Those are wrong," she said pointing at the thorn-less stems. She slumped and kicked the pot. "I can't do it."

"You didn't clear your mind."

"Yes I did," she argued. Bob turned and looked at the little girl. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"But I did!" Bob's stance didn't change.

"Exactly what were you thinking of when you opened your eyes and tried?" He watched the little witch in her pale blue nightgown stomp her foot and cross her arms, mirroring him. "Try again, and think only of that plant. Nothing more, nothing less." Bob waved his hand as he turned away. He leaned against the far wall and watched Maggie try again.

This time he watched the pebble grow into a potted plant, the height was the same but the flowering plant was very different this time. The deep pink blooms glistened and shimmered from a very thin layer of gel which coated them. The stems had thorns and the leaves looked like fine crushed velvet. He smiled, knowing that this was the plant she wanted.

"Now is this it?" he asked. His chest tightened as he watched her face widen into a self-satisfied smile.

"Yes!" she yelped before covering her mouth. As she smothered her giggles of joy, he watched her with mild joy and, of course, pain.

_How lucky she is to be able to enjoy this moment_, he thought. He watched as she jumped up and down with excitment. He could see how proud she was to have been able to get the plant that she wanted there.

"Now tell me about this plant. Why did you want this particular plant?" he asked.

Maggie walked close to the plant, but stayed just far enough away from it to be safe.

"It's one of my grandma's plants," she explained. "I'm not allowed near it without her."

Bob nodded. This he could understand. He knew of this plant, and agreed with her grandma's restrictions.

"And why would that be, little miss?" He slowly walked closer to her, just incase she reached out to the plant.

"Grandma said it's a good plant, but if you're not smart it's a bad plant," she responded as she stepped closer. "But I'm smart," she said as she raised her hand to touch a petal.

Bob stepped close and grabbed her hand. "And why do you think your grandmother said that?" he asked sternly.

"But I _am_ smart," she whined.

"Those petals are beautiful, but you see the pretty sparkles?" he waited for her to nod before continuing.

"_That _is a poison. If you touched that, without first taking an antidote, you would be paralyzed. Then your body will swell with fluid. Within an hour, you'd drown. No amount of magic would protect you after of touching that petal."

Maggie looked up at him with tears in her eyes. For a moment, Eros felt anger in his chest. For a split second he prepared himself to scold her for pouting, but then he took in the whole picture.

She was scared.

"I'm sorry."

"You know now. That's all that matters." He let go of her hand and took a step back. "Now, back to a pebble."

Maggie nodded and took a step back as well. Effortlessly she turned the large plant back into a pebble.

Maggie had grown so much since he first met her. Superficially he treated her like his own child, but he knew that was far from the truth. She had been able to perform tasks at a very young age, which he knew had been beyond her parents' capabilities at the same age. What excited him the most was that she was nowhere near her full potential.

"You want to try something harder?" he asked. As expected, she was eager for the challenge.

Bob directed her to first set up a safety perimeter two and a half meters in radius. Maggie used her feet to measure it out and stood at the edge of the circle, eyes half lidded and hands palms out, she formed a wall.

"Now, bring Max here." Maggie looked at Bob, with an even wider smile.

Within moments a large Bengal tiger leaped from the pebble. Maggie giggled with delight.

"Max!" she squealed and raced to the center of the protective circle to greet the big cat. Bob slowly walked forward, not worried in the slightest. Max had been a gift to Maggie and he was very well behaved.

"Come here you big kitty!" The tiger leaped a little and dropped to the ground before rolling over onto its side.

.

.

Draco walked into Maggie's room with a cup of water in his hand. He paused midway to her bed, feeling that something in the room was odd. Instinctively he slowly reached to the inner pocket of his suit jacket as he walked to the night stand. As he set the glass down, he drew his wand. Spinning around he aimed toward the middle of the room, but found no threat there.

Wand drawn, he walked to the bed and checked on Maggie. Once he was sure she was okay, he slowly searched the room. Something was off, he just knew it. Finding nothing, he returned his wand to its spot and made his way back to Maggie.

"Wake up Doodle bug." He prodded the mattress near her, bouncing her up and down. "Get up, get up, get up!" Chuckling, he bounced her harder as she started laughing. Then her laughter stopped abruptly.

"I'm tired," she whined. Draco stopped bouncing her when she burrowed under the covers.

"Why are you so tired? You even went to bed early," he asked as he reached under the blanket. Once he found an ankle he pulled the little girl out. "Are you feeling ill?" he questioned as he felt her forehead. Finding no fever, he asked Maggie several times if she had been playing after she went to bed. Getting no answer, he called for Giggles.

As a very grumpy Maggie stomped to her bathroom, Giggles waited by the door.

"Giggles, are you two playing late at night?" Draco slowly walked closer, arms crossed. The elf scurried to the bathroom and stood next to Maggie. "Giggles," he sternly said. "Answer me."

"No. I is not playing with the little miss." Maggie, now completely awake, tensed. She didn't want to get in trouble, but she didn't want Giggles to get in trouble either.

Draco clenched his jaw. "Then is she playing with you?" Giggles shifted around nervously. She wrung her hands and pulled at her dress.

"No. I is not the one playing with the little miss," Giggles finally said. Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Who exactly is the one playing at night with her?" Giggles looked at Maggie in a panic. Desperately shaking her head, Maggie's eyes teared up.

"No Giggles!" Maggie cried. Draco stepped forward and grabbed Giggles' arm.

"Answer me now!" Draco pulled Giggles toward him and away from Maggie as Giggles repeatedly hit herself on the head, yelling at herself.

"I is sorry little miss. I is not to disobey. I won't-" Giggle cut herself off as she bit her own arm. Draco knew better than to let go of the elf. If he did she would vanish from his sight.

"Stop Giggles! Answer me!" he yelled over the sounds of Maggie's cries. Giggles swung herself around, trying to hurt herself more than trying to get loose.

The room flashed brightly, freezing all three of them in shock. Draco dropped Giggles and drew his wand. With a flick of his hand he pushed Maggie back into the bathroom. He ordered Giggles not to leave Maggie and to protect her. He heard the bathroom door slam shut as he rubbed his eyes trying to regain his sight.

"Lower that before you poke an eye out."

Squinting, he looked toward the voice he knew well. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked.

"What, can't a guy stop in for a beer?" Bob asked. He casually walked over and pushed Draco's arm down. "So crabby in the morning."

"I'll ask you again: why are you here?" Draco asked through clenched teeth. He squared his shoulders and faced Bob. Gripping his wand tighter he took a step forward. "Get out."

Bob chuckled with amusement.

"So, no beer?" he teased, just as they heard the sound of glass breaking in the bathroom.

Both men quickly made their way to the bathroom. Draco swung the door open and quickly stepped back, raising his wand again.

Within the bathroom he found Maggie holding on to the tail of a large tiger, which dragged her along the floor as it stalked Giggles.

"Bad cat! Bad cat!" Giggles yelled as she hopped up on the vanity, knocking over several porcelain figurines. "Don't eat Giggles you bad cat!"

"Max stop!" Maggie cried as she tried to regain her footing.

Draco tried to throw a hex at the tiger, but an invisible wall only absorbed it. Bob leaned against the door frame while he watched the three in the bathroom.

"Don't bother brother," Bob said, seeing Draco raise his wand again. "Maggie formed a protective barrier. You're wasting your time." Draco rushed over to hit Bob, but he found himself being shoved to the other side of the door frame. "Let her handle it," he told Draco.

Draco tried to move from the spot, but found himself unable to. He tried feverishly to move. Bob looked over and shook his head.

"Knock it off," he told Draco, before turning his attention back to Maggie's mess. "Young lady," he called. Maggie looked to the door, her eyes full of tears.

"Help me!" the little girl cried. "He'll eat Giggles." Draco watched Bob shake his head.

"No, I will not. You got yourself into this mess by not listening to me. I told you only to bring Max here when I was around."

"You are here," she countered. Bob opened his mouth, but he stopped. He was here when she had brought Max.

"You know what I mean. Now how are you going to prevent Giggles from being eaten?"

"Bobbb!" she whined.

"No. Think. How are you going to fix this?" Draco connected the dots. Bob had been the one here last night. And from the looks of it, he had been here quite often.

Looking over at Maggie, he watched her let go of the tiger's tail and step back. She wiped her cheeks and with a wave of her hand, the tiger tuned into a pebble on the tile floor.

Bob congratulated Maggie and patted Draco on the arm.

"I think we need to talk."

Draco nodded angrily.

"Yes, I believe we do."


	22. I didn't forget

Howdy all,

Just dropping a quick note to let followers and new readers know that I have not forgotten Undercover in America. Life has been crazy this past year and it has calmed enough that I think I can start writing and adding again. I've missed this story.

Looking forward to adding a real new chapter soon,

Kelilose


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